Nigeria To Send First Civilian to Space
Nigeria is making a move to send its first citizen into space. The country says it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the U.S. firm, Space
Exploration and Research Agency (SERA).
The agreement was signed on Wednesday in Abuja, the federal capital. It was facilitated by the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) on behalf of the Government.
Director-General of NASRDA, Dr Matthew Adepoju said the move was part of the agency’s mandate to promote human space flight as part of the National Space Policy and Programme.
Dr. Adepoju said the agency was commited to sending a Nigerian into space, a feat he described as a historic achievement for the country.y
Co-founder of SERA, Mr Sam Hutchison said the process of application would be open to anybody in Nigeria who is up to 18 years of age. He said
“You will be able to sign up and then encourage others to vote for you.
The selection process will be managed via the SERA platform, ensuring transparency and wide participation.
He said the programme is to raise awareness among young people in Nigeria, showing them that if they pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), they can go to space.
“There are billions of dollars being invested in the commercial development of in-space activities, and Nigeria should be part of it.”
SOURCE: swifteradio.com
