Nigeria Launches Two New Satellites

Posted August 17th, 2011 at 10:20 am (UTC-5)
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Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has announced the successful launch of two observation satellites into orbit.

Mr. Jonathan said the two satellites were launched at 7:45 UTC Wednesday from the town of Yasny in western Russia.

He said a team of Nigerian engineers and scientists built one satellite, known as Nigeriasat-x, while the other, Nigeriasat-2, was built in collaboration with a British firm.

The company, Surrey Satellite Technology Limited, says Nigeriasat-2 is designed to monitor agriculture and the environment, and for population mapping.

President Jonathan said the launches are part of Nigeria's effort to solve national problems through space technology.

Nigeria launched its first observation satellite in 2003. It also launched a broadcasting satellite in 2007 that failed a year later.