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Despite having a design life of seven years that expired in 2018, NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-X are still functioning in orbit and providing critical data, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has revealed.
Director General of the NASRDA, Dr. Halilu Shaba, told Channel Television that the two expired satellites are still in the orbit under ‘grace condition.’
He assured there are no reasons to be alarmed as the satellites are daily being monitored.
His words: “We have a satellite in high orbit, which was launched in 2011 and it has a seven-year lifespan. It was supposed to have expired in 2018, but in the culture of the satellite industry, you build a new satellite to replace it. But we have not done that.
“Right now, we are living in a grace period because, based on the fuel capacity, the satellite should only orbit for seven years.”
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NigeriaSat-2, Nigeria’s second satellite, was built as a high-resolution earth satellite by UK’s Surrey Space Technology Limited. It was co-launched into space with NigeriaSat-X in August 17, 2011 to replace NigeriaSat-1 which was launched Sept. 27, 2003 and remained operational till 2012.
NigeriaSat-1 was eventually decommissioned in 2014, six years after outliving its design life.
NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-X with a design life of seven years were built at a total cost of $48.4 million including launch and insurance.
NASRDA Head of Media and Corporate Communications, Dr. Felix Ale, explained that the satellites are not likely to break down in the near future because the agency was monitoring them daily.
His words: “So, we are very lucky that Nigeria’s Sat X, which was designed for five years, is still functioning in orbit, still downloading data. Up till this morning, we were still in communication with the satellite. “Also, Nigeria’s Sat 2, which was designed and expected to last seven years, is still functioning very well in orbit. So, the two satellites are still functioning very well. There is no cause for alarm.”
“Going by their designed lifespan, they were supposed to have expired. But we are in contact with the satellites on daily basis. From what we have seen from monitoring the satellites, I can assure you that nothing will happen to them for now.
“We are in the process of replacing them. If you monitor very well, recently, we had the Space Council meeting, chaired by the President. He has requested that the Council should come up with the submission. We are on it. The final submission will be made by the Minister of Science and Technology.
“We are now at the preliminary stage and believe that as soon as the approval is given, we can come up with a window of activities for a launch.
