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Posted: 09-11-2002 12:20 Post subject: Nigerian Space Program

Nigeria is to launch a satellite. From the BBC:

'Nigeria is hoping to launch its first satellite in July 2003, its science and technology minister has said.

The satellite, which will be built in partnership with a British company, will be used for weather observation, and will later become a communications satellite, Professor Isoun Turner told the BBC's Network Africa programme...

...Initially, the remote sensing satellite will be used to solve practical problems for agriculture, forestry and oceans by scouring isolated parts of the country for signs of fire or flood.

The minister said the $15m micro-satellite will be built in partnership with a UK-based company, Surrey Space Technology Ltd.'

Just made me think. Nigeria has a space program. Britain
had a space program. Why doesn't it have one now?

Posted: 09-11-2002 12:33 Post subject: British Space Programme

According to Eddie Izzard we have: We plan to get a man up a ladder in Swindon Very Happy

.

Seriously though, what is our problem?[whinge]We keep being told we're the fourth richest country on the planet, but we have to wait months for operations, our already unreliable transport system is thrown into chaos when it gets a bit windy, and we can't pay public sector workers a decent wage. Where is all this bloody money going? It's not on defence, the usual financial scapegoat, cos our military is on it's uppers; it's obviously not on anything else tangible, either. So where is our money going?[/whinge]

Perhaps (dramatically sort of back OT) Alternative 3 was true after all, just a little premature Surprised

Posted: 09-11-2002 13:02 Post subject:

Wonderful, Nigeria is dragging herself into the space age but still thinks it's right to stone people to death.

Posted: 09-11-2002 13:58 Post subject:

Let's not forget the penis-shrinking panics, either.

Posted: 09-11-2002 15:53 Post subject:

I can now reveal that Britain does have a secret space programme. Millions were spent on the Millenium Dome because it is in fact a flying saucer.

Its first flight will be on the 8th March 2003...

Very Happy

Posted: 09-11-2002 17:14 Post subject:

There is a UK space program (and I don't mean "Blake's Seven" Wink

) it's just that it doesn't tend to get much publicity in the wider press. For example

http://www.qinetiq.com/markets/space/small_satellites/case_study_topsat/index.asp

The Beagle 2 mission to Mars, though an ESA mission, is basically British. Cool

Posted: 09-11-2002 18:38 Post subject: Re: British Space Programme

Posted: 13-11-2002 05:14 Post subject: Ogopogo

Hey Ogopogo.. I thought that pic looked familar (Not the Willoughby one, the lips)

Would you tell me where you found it? Thx Smile

Posted: 13-11-2002 06:29 Post subject:

From the same BBC article:

Posted: 13-11-2002 14:22 Post subject:

I'm sorry, but I'm going to sound very racist here and I don't intend to be.

I've lived in Nigeria and the people are on the whole lovely people, but a space programme? They can't even make their electricity supply reliable. To us expatriates at the time, the Nigerian Electric Power Authority (NEPA) stood for No Electric Power Anytime.

Nothing works properly, it is (or was) like living in an Ealing comedy at times.

So I'm not very confident that this thing will actually get off the ground. Or, if it does, I'd wear a tin hat for a few months till it falls to the ground . . .

Carole

Posted: 14-11-2002 22:04 Post subject: Oh well, here goes !!

Sounds like miplaced priorities if you ask me. I'm not too sure where Nigeria is in the greater scheme of rich countries, but if the public services don't work much of the time, perhaps the government should stop trying to join the space club. Much the same could be said about the UK........although, much of the investment in space programs in the UK are privately funded. It's all a little screwy really...!!

Moggadon

Posted: 14-11-2002 23:35 Post subject:

Posted: 14-11-2002 23:59 Post subject: Look Up In The Sky!

If Trinity Broadcasting Network can launch satellites to spread their holy roller snake oil around the world and Rupert Murdoch can broadcast Sky, Why can't Nigeria have a satellite that does something useful?

Weather forecasting, prospecting and telecommunications are important goals for a vast land like Nigeria. Why should Nigeria rely on outside suppliers?

Weather patterns are becoming more unreliable and satellite telecommunications would leapfrog the technology beyiond the huge investment necessary for land based infrastructure.

'Course, there wouldn't be any secret, military motives...

Posted: 16-11-2002 03:05 Post subject:

Some vaguely related Nigerian material here plus lots of links to other interesting stories about diy espionage -> for anyone interested in satellites.

http://www.drdish.com/features/spy_13.html