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December 19, 2011

Nigeria Launches China-Made Broadcast Satellite after Last One Was Lost in Space
By Ed Silverstein
TMCnet Contributor

Nigeria did not like the fact its first broadcast satellite was literally lost in space back in 2008, so they just launched another one to replace it.

The NIGCOMSAT (News - Alert)-1R went into orbit after being sent into space from a Chinese launch pad, the government announced on Monday, according to a report from The Associated Press.



Once in orbit, the satellite will offer phone service, as well as broadband, Internet and broadcasting service for Africa, including Nigeria, and other regions, according to The AP.

The new satellite was built in China by the China Academy of Space Technology, according to a report from Space.com. Nigcomsat Ltd. will operate the new satellite for as many as 15 years, Space.com said. The satellite has 28 transponders, including four C-band, 14 Ku-band, eight Ka-band, and two L-band, according to a report from NASASpaceFlight.com. In addition, the satellite will offer broadband multimedia service, broadcasting, communications, navigation, and tele-education service.

It will not only improve infrastructure in Nigeria and elsewhere, but is targeted to meet the technology needs of residents living in rural regions of Africa, according to NASASpaceFlight.com. The satellite will serve central, western and southern Africa, central and eastern Europe, and some of Central Asia. It is hoped by Nigerian officials the Nigcomsat 1R could lead to economic growth in Africa, and make it cheaper for telephone calls and broadband Internet access, according to Space.com.

The new satellite was launched at no cost to the Nigerian government because “NIGCOMSAT 1 was fully insured,” according to a report appearing on TMCnet. The satellite which was lost in space in 2008 had only been in space for 18 months. It lost power in orbit.

China was contracted to make DFH-4 communications satellites for such nations as Nigeria, Pakistan, Venezuela, Laos and Bolivia, Space.com says.

In August, Nigeria launched two observation satellites.


Ed Silverstein is a TMCnet contributor. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Rich Steeves

 

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