The Chairman of Centre for Creative Scientists in Niger Delta
(CENSINDA) , Mr. Ayebanua Keniyinbo Apollos says President Goodluck
Jonathan Space Centre in Ayama- Ijaw in Southern Ijaw Local Government
Area of Bayelsa State of Nigeria will soon launch its indigenous
Rocket and Ifieye (It’s time) satellite in yet another technological
step forward in the space industry.
Mr. Apollos told this reporter in Yenagoa that the satellite, which is
said to be a reconnaissance satellite powered by solar energy, will be
sent into space by May 2014.
A talented 43-year-old graduate of Chemistry from the Rivers State
University of Science and Technology (UST) Port Harcourt, Ayebanua
Keniyinbo Apollos to be launch in Yenagoa by October 1, 2013.
Speaking with this reporter today in Yenagoa, Apollos said he took
interest in rockets when he was a student. He said he was able to
invent the self propelled rocket without support from friends and
government, stressing that with God all things are possible and intend
to succeed even if there are no supports from government.
In his word “If both the state and federal governments pay attention
to local science and technology inventors and support them
financially, I believe very strongly that one day, we will be able to
build our own satellite or the engine that will take the satellite
into space.”
Ayebanua Keniyinbo Apollos who also the chairman of Centre for
Creative Scientists in Niger Delta said by 2014 he has already started
research on how to make a remote controlled satellite, a project he is
into.
According to him, he produced the self propelled rockets with 100 per
cent local content at an approximate cost of N100, 000 each.
According to him, the satellite will reportedly be placed in
elliptical orbit of 3800 km in radius, and will remain in space for a
year.
That President Goodluck Jonathan Space Centre will also send its first
biocapsule of living creatures into space in early May 2014, using the
indigenous Ogonodou-1 (Explorer-1) carrier.
Moreover, in February 2014, the centre will put the 10.3-kilogram
Lelei (Observation) orbiter in space. Lelei’s mission is to take
images of the Earth and transmit them along with telemetry information
to the ground stations which are already building.
He lamented that Nigeria after 52 years of independence, the country
still relies on advanced countries for satellite due to lack of
conducive atmosphere for indigenous talented inventors to strive.
Apollos said there was a need for the State and Federal Government to
provide an enabling environment for science and technology inventors
in the country if it wishes to attain the desired Vision 20:2020.
