By Hillary Asemota
Further to the success achieved during the joint Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) flight demonstration carried out early this year by NIGCOMSAT Ltd and Thales Alenia Space (TAS), a renewed joint venture agreement between the two parties have been signed in France, Toulouse for the development of the augmentation system.
With this joint venture agreement, NIGCOMSAT Ltd will provide access to the payload on NigComSat-1R to Thales Alenia Space for the SBAS signal in Africa.
The Managing Director, NIGCOMSAT Ltd, Engr. Tukur Lawal who was elated on this agreement, said it has opened another chapter of business opportunity for NIGCOMSAT Ltd and called on stakeholders in the aviation and non-aviation sector in the country and Africa at large to optimize this opportunity for the growth of economy in the continent.
The Managing Director recalled that NIGCOMSAT Ltd has demonstrated a flight using Nigerian Airspace Management Authority (NAMA’s) King 350i aircraft with ANGA (Augmented Navigation for Africa) Signal-in-Space (SIS), provided via NigComSat 1R which took place at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The event was witnessed by a contingent from Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and MadagascarASECNA), EC DG-DEFIS, Representatives of AON, AFON, SatNAv Africa JPO, Representatives from Ministries, Departments and Agencies including Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and prominent aviation stakeholders from 54 African countries among others.
Also contributing, the Project Manager, SBAS Dr. Lasisi Salami Lawal stated that with the real SBAS flight demonstration carried within Nigerian airspace, ‘we were able to witnessed a high level of precision on guiding the aircraft laterally in take-off, aligning on the takeoff track and also on initial climb and also on inbound track approached the airport for landing’.
The SBAS is an aviation-grade safety of life (SoL) satellite-based navigation enabling reliability with integrity as well as high accuracy in positioning.
According to Dr. Lasisi, the technology is a ‘game changer for aviation improving flight safety and efficiency while ensuring better user experience as a means of navigation decreasing CO2 emission with fuel consumption reduction. Dr. Lasisi, said it will also contribute effectively in the non-aviation sector applications such as precision Agriculture, Land and Maritime Transport, inland waterways navigation, Rail Safety, Oil and Gas, Drone navigation, Mapping/Cadastral Survey and Mass Market Applications in Location Based Services (LBS), Secured Time Transfer and synchronization in smart power transmission & distribution systems, telecommunications system networks especially 5G networks that requires precision in microseconds timing beyond what GNSS networks can offer.
Thales Alenia Space is a joint venture joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), Thales Alenia Space also teams up with Telespazio to form the parent companies’ Space Alliance, which offers a complete range of services.
It has a combined 40 years expenditure with unique diversity of diversity, talents and cultures. While NIGCOMSAT Ltd on the other hand, is a Company under the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy. It is the premier and leading Communications Satellite operator in Sub-Saharan Africa.