China Launches Nigerian Satellite

May 14 (EIRNS)-- This morning, China's Xichang Satellite Launch Center, successfully launched a communications satellite for Nigeria, Xinhua reported. This is the first satellite of its kind for an African nation, and the first time a foreign buyer has bought a Chinese satellite and launching service.

The Nigerian Communication Satellite, or NIGCOMSAT-1, is a super hybrid geo-stationary satellite designed to operate in Africa, parts of Southwest Asia, and southern Europe. A high-level Nigerian delegation, led by the Minister of Science and Technology, was in Xichang for the launch.

The satellite program could create some 150,000 jobs in Nigeria and make telecommunications, broadcasting and broadband multimedia services much more efficient in Africa. The satellite will be monitored and tracked by a ground station to be built in Abuja, Nigeria, by a Chinese company, and a ground station in Kashgar, Xinjiang.

China has been greatly hampered in its ability to launch foreign-built commercial satellites for other nations since the late 1990's U.S. ban on the Chinese launch of spacecraft containing any U.S.-built parts--the fallout from the anti-China hysteria from the discredited Wen Ho Lee "spy" case.

The satellite and Long March carrier rocket were developed by the China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, both under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.