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Govt proposes fees for NigeriaSat-1's images, data

TO give the nation's first satellite, NigeriaSat-1 commercial value, the Federal Government is proposing a range of fees for the use of images and data gathered by the facility.

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The Director General of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) Prof. Robert Boroffice said in Abuja yesterday that a differential price regime has been proposed for national and international users, which would soon be approved by the Federal Government.

Nigeria Sat-1, located about 700kms above the earth, is capable of generating a maximum of 236,000 images over its designed life span of five years.

It was learnt that, depending on the grade of the processed image, prices would range from N8,000 to N38,000 per scene ( a copy of an image or data) for local users.

Boroffice said that fees for international users had not been determined.

"We are currently working with the UK, China, Turkey and Algeria, the countries with similar Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) satellites, to agree on the prices for international users of the images," he said.

He also disclosed that government would set up a business office in London to serve international users while local users would be administered in Abuja.

The NASRDA director-general, however, said that researchers and research institutes would not be charged for the use of the images in order to assist in building capacity and encourage them to apply the images and data for socio-economic development.

"Government agencies and other commercial buyers, such as civil engineers, consultants, companies and planners would be charged commercial rates," Boroffice added.

He also disclosed that government had recently installed a multi-million naira satellite image processing and storage facility at NigeriaSat-1 Ground Station in Abuja.

He said: "I am happy to tell you that the satellite has been generating quality images and data that are useful to national and international development,"

"NigeriaSat-1 is capable of imaging anywhere in the world once the coordinates are sent to the satellite".

It was gathered that images downloaded would be processed and stored by professionals, using specialised computers for geometric and radiometric analysis and evaluation before they are sold to interested buyers.

NigeriaSat-1, it was also learnt, had so far generated more than 100 images from different parts of the world since it was launched on September 27, 2003, at Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia.