NigComSat-1

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Orbital elements
NigComSat-1
Organisation	NigComSat/NASRDA
Major contractors	CNSA
Bus	DFH-4
Mission type	Communication
Satellite of	Earth
Launch date	13 May 2007, 16:01 GMT
Carrier Rocket	Long March 3B
Mission duration	15 years
NSSDC ID	2007-018A
Webpage	NigComSat
Mass	5,150 kg
Regime	GSO
Longitude	42.5^oE ⁽¹⁾
Inclination	0.1º ⁽¹⁾
Orbital period	24 hours
Apoapsis	35,789 kilometres (22,238 mi) ⁽¹⁾
Periapsis	35,782 kilometres (22,234 mi) ⁽¹⁾
References
1^[1]

NigComSat-1 is a Nigerian communication satellite. It became the first African geosynchronous communication satellite, when it was launched at 16:01 GMT on 13 May 2007, aboard a Chinese Long March 3B carrier rocket, from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in China. The spacecraft will be operated by NigComSat and the Nigerian Space Agency, NASRDA. The initial contract to build the satellite was signed in 2004.

The satellite, which is the third Nigerian satellite to be placed into orbit, was launched into a geosynchronous transfer orbit and subsequently it was successfully inserted into a geosynchronous orbit, positioned at 42.5^oE. It had a launch mass of 5,150 kg, and has an expected service life of 15 years.

It is based on the Chinese DFH-4 satellite bus, and carries a variety of transponders:

It will provide coverage to many parts of Africa, and the Ka-band transponders will also cover Italy.

[edit] Milestone for China's satellite export business

NigcomSat-1 represented a milestone for China’s satellite export business. For the first time the China Great Wall Industry Corporation provided all aspects of in-orbit delivery of a satellite to an international customer. This included satellite manufacture, launch services, ground station construction, project financing, insurance and training.^[2]