December 24, 2021

Inside the Nigerian Space Industry (Source: AfricaNews)
The Nigerian space industry has experienced fine growth since its government first expressed interest in space activities in 1973. As a result, Nigeria has made a name for itself in the African space industry. The industry has since seen the launch of several satellites, the establishment of Newspace companies and a steady increase in budget. This article hopes to help fill the blanks concerning space activities in Nigeria.

Nigeria is one of the first African states to embrace space and space technologies as a means to attaining sustainable development. The West African state first expressed interest in space activities by joining the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS) in 1973. As a result, the federal government of Nigeria, on May 5, 1995, established the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) under the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and adopted the National Space Policy and Programme in May 2001.

NASRDA was established to strengthen the Nigerian space industry’s international positioning, particularly in the business, science and technology sectors, towards economic, social and sustainable development. Furthermore, Nigeria’s Roadmap for Space Missions (2005-2030) is geared towards upscale space systems and engineering. This programme will support astronaut training and satellite launch, propulsion & launch technology development, space education, and research and development as core strategic policy objectives. (12/24)

10 Christmas Space Facts That You Probably Didn't Know (Source: Space.com)
It’s that magical time of year again. Whether you’re living with the frigid temperatures of the northern hemisphere or the sunny climes south of the equator, right now, lots of us are thinking about Christmas. Christmas is a holiday celebrated by more than 2 billion people globally, so chances are that it’s important to you or someone close to you. However, you may not know that Christmas is a holiday that also has a history with space exploration.

Pretty much from the first moment that humans blasted ourselves off into the void, we’ve been keen to celebrate our most treasured holidays amongst the stars. Starting with the Gemini 6 mission in the late 1960s and stretching all the way to the modern-day, astronauts are just as keen as anyone else to have a good holiday season. As a result, there’s a surprising number of ways that space and Christmas are tied together, from Christmas trees to space cookies and even holiday-theme pranks. Click here. (12/24)

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson Talks Big Moments of 2021 and What's Next in 2022 (Source: Florida Today)
Lately, every year in space is seemingly bigger than the last, especially as crewed launches pick up after a decade-long lull and risky, multibillion-dollar science projects like the James Webb Space Telescope take flight. 2021 was no exception and next year is shaping up to be just as busy – if not more so. Not only will Florida's launch cadence continue to push the boundaries of what private space companies, NASA, and the Space Force can handle, but several missions next year will introduce brand new missions and never-before-seen rockets. Click here. (12/23)

Cryptocurrency Entrepreneur Paid $28M to Ride Blue Origin Into Space, But Missed His Flight (Source: Houston Chronicle)
Blue Origin has announced the winner of an auction it held six months ago to visit space on the first New Shepard mission from West Texas. Cryptocurrency entrepreneur Justin Sun paid $28 million to ride on Blue Origin’s first crewed flight. He would have flown alongside the company’s founder, Jeff Bezos, but he missed that flight — and the next two crewed missions, including one with William Shatner of “Star Trek” fame.

Sun was identified Wednesday and announced that he purchased five additional seats on top of his $28 million bid. He will select five people to ride alongside him in the fourth quarter of 2022. “I won the auction 6 months ago but missed the launch,” Sun said on Twitter. “However, this did not stop my love for space. So I’m very excited to announce this news and turn this opportunity into a voyage with 5 other warriors to space with me because I believe that space belongs to everyone!”

Sun is best known for founding the Tron cryptocurrency platform, though last week announced he’s phasing out of his leadership role at Tron and had accepted a new role as ambassador and permanent representative of Grenada to the World Trade Organization. Originally from China, Sun has lived in the Caribbean nation since 2019. (12/22)

South Korea's Lee Pledges to Build Nuclear Submarines, Launch Space Command (Source: Korea Herald)
South Korean presidential hopeful Lee Jae-myung on Friday promised to push forward with plans to build a nuclear-powered submarine and launch a space command against multifaceted threats as part of his policy manifesto.The presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea announced his envisioned defense and security policies at a news conference, under the theme of “fostering a smart, powerful force.” (12/24)