Final Frontier Friendship
Ongoing outer space cooperation between china and Africa has many practical benefits
Dianhuo! (We have ignition!) - with these words, the carrier rocket blasted the first Nigerian communications satellite NIGCOMSAT-1 into orbit from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China’s Sichuan Province at 0:01 on May 14, 2007, which marked the beginning of space cooperation between China and Africa.
Over the past 12 years, China-africa space cooperation has witnessed constant progress in some African countries that have purchased Chinese satellites, developed aerospace infrastructure together and shared satellite resources.
According to insiders, the partnership has helped take China-africa friendship to a 36,000 km high in outer space and more importantly create great economic and social benefits for African people.
Launching satellites for Africa
In Nigeria, people described the launch of the NIGCOMSAT-1 as “a monumental achievement for Nigerians” and “a beginning of economic and technological emancipation” of the entire African continent, according to local reports.
The satellite was the first of its kind in Africa at the time and the first time a foreign buyer had purchased a Chinese satellite and its launching service. The success was achieved through the joint efforts of both Nigerian Communications Satellite Ltd. and China Great Wall Industry Corp. (CGWIC), an organization authorized by the Chinese Government to provide commercial satellite launch services and satellite systems, and to carry out space technology cooperation.
Since 2004, the two organizations began to work together on the planning of the satellite launch. The satellite, a super hybrid geo-stationary model designed to operate in Africa, parts of the Middle East and Southern Europe, revolutionized telecommunications, broadcasting and broadband multimedia services in Africa, according to insiders.
After its launch in May 2007, China handed it over to Nigeria two months later. However, the following year, NIGCOMSAT-1