FUTA Nigeria Satellite launches into orbit

The Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) in Ondo State would today (Friday) launch its five satellites, the BIRDS-1 Project including the Nigerian CubeSat, code named NigeriaEdusat-1, from the International Space Station (ISS), KIBO into the orbit.

Adebanjo Adegbenro, Head of the Information Unit of the institution made the disclosure in a statement issued to journalists on Thursday in Akure.

Adegbenro explained that though the project has reached its conclusion stage, the deployment of the satellites would be round the earth.

He maintained that the project which will be based in FUTA will also take images and critical data which can be viewed and analyzed at the ground stations.

“The satellites of Japan, Ghana, and Mongolia, will be released at this time: 8:50 GMT/17:50 JST (1st Deployment).

“The satellites of Bangladesh and Nigeria, will be released at this time: 9:10 GMT/18:10 JST (2nd Deployment).

The Daily Times gathered that the Nigerian CubeSat, code named NigeriaEdusat-1, is designed, built and owned by FUTA in collaboration with National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Abuja, Nigeria, and Kyushu Institute of Technology Japan.

Ibukun Adebolu from FUTA’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, is the representative of Nigeria on the project.

Adebolu said that the NigeriaEduSat-1, along with the four other nanosatellites of the BIRDS constellation, will perform three onboard missions.

“First, we aim to take low and high resolution pictures of each home country of the participating members of the constellation. Each satellite is equipped with a 0.3 megapixel camera as well as a 5 mega pixel camera.

“We hope to capture distinct features of each target country, including borderline images, major rivers, etc.

“The second mission onboard each satellite is aimed at space education and outreach. Popular songs and poems are converted into digital format and uplinked to the satellite.

“The satellite stores the uplink file, reassembles it through an onboard digi-singer synthesizer and retransmits the file as an audio file that can be received on ground by amateur radio operators.”

He explained that the mission is also aimed at promoting interest in satellite technology and space careers among children and youths, who can participate by coding the songs to be re-transmitted during major outreach events.

“The third onboard mission has a scientific nature. It involves the measurement of atmospheric density in the region 400 km above earth.

“This mission is important because it utilises the advantage of multiple satellites collecting data simultaneously at different points in the region, enhancing the body of scientific literature already available”.

Professor Joseph Fuwape, FUTA Vice Chancellor, said the university being the leading institution of technology is progressing steadily on the project.

Fuwape assured that FUTA was already aiming at being the hub of scientific knowledge in the area of satellite technology.