The Federal University of Technology, Akure, official announced that it would on Thursday 1st of June 2017 launch the Nigeria first ever university satellite code name NigeriaEdusat-1 into space.
The initial launch scheduled for Thursday June 1 was aborted due to adverse weather condition. An at Exactly 10:07, on Saturday June 3, Year 2017. The University made history as Nigeria first ever University to lunch satellite into space, when the SpaceX Falcon9 Rocket launched Birds 1 satellites from the International Space Station.
The Nigerian CubeSat, code name NigeriaEdusat-1, is designed, built and owned by The Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) in collaboration with National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Abuja, Nigeria, and Kyushu Institute of Technology Japan.The sat was sent into space from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, United States.
Mr. Ibukun Adebolu of FUTA’s Department of Mechanical Engineering is the representative of Nigeria on the project. The satellite is expected to dock at the International Space Station, ISS on Monday June 5 at 10:30 AM Nigerian Time . the satellites will be deployed into lower orbit during the last week of June 2017.
Mean objective of NigeriaEdusat-1 is to domesticate and make satellite technology popular “among members of staff and students of the institution for the purpose of research, resources and environmental management and sustainable socio-economic development of the nation.’’
Adebolu who is involved in the Structure Configuration Design, BIRDS Project gives details of his role on the project, “My role in the Birds’ Project is Structure Design. Drawing on my background in Mechanical Engineering, I am saddled with the task of ensuring that our satellites have sufficient strength and rigidity to survive the rigorous launch and space environments.
In order to achieve this, I have to ensure that all payload and Bus System are properly accommodated within the 10 cubic centimeter structure. I find this very challenging, because it involves a lot of optimization and trade-offs. In the future, I hope to work more on other aspects of satellite design”
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Joseph Fuwape, said with the successful launch FUTA has shown the capabilities of Nigerian scientists and would build on the success to concretize its leading position in cutting edge researches and scientific breakthroughs.
The successful lunch of NigeriaEdusat-1 satellite is a Big remarkable science achievement for entire Students and Saff of the Federal University of Technology, Akure.
