Nigeria partners SERA, Blue Origin on first citizen space exploration

BREAKING NEWSJune 23, 2024 at 4:08 PM UTC

TLDR

SERA and NASRDA partnership offers Nigerians a chance to venture into space with Blue Origin New Shepard.
Initiative open to Nigerians above 18, funded by SERA in collaboration with Blue Origin.
Aimed at promoting diversity in space exploration by sending individuals from historically underrepresented nations.

A Nigerian will soon have the opportunity to venture into space thanks to a partnership between the Space Exploration & Research Agency (SERA) and the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).

As part of this collaboration, SERA will secure a seat for a Nigerian citizen on an upcoming Blue Origin New Shepard suborbital spaceflight. This SERA-funded initiative is open to all Nigerians aged 18 and above.

The partnership is part of a broader agreement with Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, aimed at sending six individuals from nations historically underrepresented in space exploration. In 2022, the initiative sent Victor Hespanha, a Brazilian civil engineer, to space.

Key Takeaways

This marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s space exploration journey. For over two decades, Nigeria has pursued its space ambitions with dedicated efforts. In 2000, the National Space Policy (NSP) was approved, two years after the establishment of NASRDA to push the boundaries of space exploration and exploitation. Nigeria launched its first satellite, Nigeria Sat-1, in 2003, and has since launched five more satellites. In 2016, Nigeria announced plans to send its first astronaut to space by 2030.

Nigeria

Space Exploration

Blue Origin

SERA

NASRDA

Space Technology