Nigeria's NigeriaSat-2 and NX earth observation satellites are undergoing tests at the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC’s) Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.

NigeriaSat-2 and NX are being built for Nigeria's National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) and will form part of the Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) when they are launched next year.

NigeriaSat-2 was designed and built by Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL), and is based on their latest SSTL-300 earth observation satellite platform will deliver a high-resolution (2.5 metre) imaging system onboard a highly agile platform.

NX, which is based on the SSTL-100 platform was built by Nigerian engineers as part of their training and development scheme at SSTL in Guildford, UK. It will provide 22-metre imaging, enhancing the capability that is currently provided by NigeriaSat-1, which was launched in 2003. These latest satellites will provide not only continuity to Nigeria’s current space capability, but significantly advance the country’s space assets. The testing of the spacecraft at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) in Oxfordshire involves simulating the vacuum conditions outside the Earth’s protective atmosphere where the air pressure is less than 0.01% of that on earth as well as the operating temperatures the spacecraft will experience while orbiting the Earth. There will also be multiple checks of the onboard systems to ensure everything is working as it should. “The testing of equipment destined for space is essential to ensure it operates successfully when it gets there and for as long as possible afterwards, to maximise the scientific and technical return” said Giles Case from STFC’s Space Science and Technology Department.

RAL has an international reputation for its space testing facilities, it has the largest thermal vacuum chamber in the UK and one of the reasons SSTL chose the laboratory for the testing was because of its capacity to accommodate two satellites and their Electronic Ground Support Equipment at the same time.

On completion of the tests at RAL, NigeriaSat-2 will undergo electro-magnetic compatibility (EMC) tests before both spacecraft are finally checked-out and stored at SSTL’s Guildford Facility, pending shipment to the launch site.