FG to partner Ukraine on space technology – Onu

The Federal Government is set to collaborate with the Ukrainian National Republic on space technology towards national development, says Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Science and Technology.

Onu, who made this known on Tuesday in Abuja when he received a team from Ukraine, said the two countries would soon sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding the collaboration.

He said such collaboration would further strengthen the existing relationship between the two countries.

The minister added that Nigeria would benefit a lot from Ukraine’s advanced space technology.

According him, the scope of collaboration in space technology will involve scientific space research as well as creating and developing techniques for space access that enable home-made rocket.

The leader of the team from Ukraine, Mr Olexandr Kushnar’ov, General Director, System Engineering of Yuzhnoye Design Office, Ukraine, said the Ukraine would definitively partner with Nigeria on space technology for mutual benefits.

He said the State Space Agency of Ukraine (SSAU) and National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) would develop techniques for space access.

According to him, SSAU’s goals included developing a national system for Earth observation from outer space to meet the national demands in the social economic sphere and for security and defense purposes.

Others are: introducing satellite systems and communication facilities into telecommunication infrastructure; obtaining new fundamental knowledge on near-Earth outer space, Solar system, deep space, biological and physical processes and microgravity condition.

“Other goals include creating techniques for space access with a view to realising national and international projects and to enable the home-made rocket to be employed on the worldwide market of space transportation services.

“Another goal is elaborating advanced space facilities and ensuring innovative development of the space sector in terms of improving its research, experimental and production basis,” he said.