On the 5th of February, 2024. Footsteps International School along with her students, embarked on an excursion to Nigeria’s First Space Center, Lugbe, airport road, Abuja, Nigeria. The students were accompanied by some teachers, Mr. Ocheme our principal, Miss. Goodness, Mr. Taiwo and a photographer. We had a brief assembly which was conducted by Mr. Ocheme who admonished students to be of good behavior upon living the school premises at about 8:00am and was driven by our traffic-obeying driver.
Upon our arrival, we were welcome by Mrs. Didi, who gave us a brief tower and explanations on satellites.
We learnt the following;
- In the year 1976 Nigeria reported to ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African State) that they wanted to go to space to explore. In 1999, NASDRA (National Space Research and Development Agency) was formed. NASDRA was based on ne objective, which was to be able to developed and apply space technology. With the unwavering support of NASDRA, satellites were sent out into space such as;
- Nigeria sat. 1 which was launched in 2003 as a remote-sensing satellite which was used to give early warning signals on environmental disaster. It comprises of 6 camaras, antennas GPS tracker.
- NIGCOM Sat. 1 was sign in 2004 as an initial contract to build the satellite, it was launched in 2007 as a communication satellite.
- Nigeria Sat. 2 was launched in 2011
- NIGCOM Sat. 1 R (Replacement), due to NIGCOM Sat. 1 failed in orbit after running out of Dower, was launched in 2011
- Nigeria Sat X (Experiment) was launched in 2011, was used for Global disaster monitoring.
- Edu Sat 1. Was launched in 2017 was the Nigeria’s first satellite built by a university, Federal University of Technology Akure, Ondo state (F.U.T.A.)
We also learnt a few things about satellite;
A satellite is an object orbiting around the earth. A satellite is a small object that goes round a bigger object in a particular direction. We have five types of satellite;
- Natural satellites
- Artificial satellites
- Navigation satellites
- Communication satellites
- Research satellites
Did you know a communication satellite can go as far as 100km in the air? And you can launch a satellite with a launch vehicle (rocket)? Also, an orbiting pattern is created every 1hour 38 minutes. An astronaut is someone who goes to space to explore.
Julie Pagett
Julie Pagett was a foreigner Governor general from 2017 to 2021. She was a politician, scientist, engineer and a professor. She donated an exhibition to us at Obasanjo Space Center in 2018. She spent 25 days in space and went on her second mission in 2009, it was called STS 96.
Neil Armstrong
Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon. He was born on 15th August 1930 and died on 25th August 2012.
Yuri Gagarin
Yuri Gagarin was the first man born on 9th march 1934 and died 27th march 1968, he walked60 meters on the lunar surface.
The hobble space telescope is 525 above the earth, it takes pictures of planets, stars and galaxies. A universe is a collection of galaxies.
Types of galaxies
- Milky way
- Spiral galaxies
- Elliptical galaxies
- Peculiar galaxies
- Irregular galaxies
We also learn about planets;
- Uranus is known as the sleeping planet
- The hottest planet is Venus
- The coldest planet is Uranus
- The smallest planet is mercury
- Neptune is the farthest from the sun
Conclusively, the excursion was a thrilling experience as we got to know more than our academic activities. I would like to thank our school management, our Director, Proprietress, and teachers for taking their time to organize an excursion and a field of learning outside our school premises to compliment what we are taught in class.
Written by Yasmin Usman, a Jss 3 student of footsteps International School Abuja. She enjoys reading and creative writing.
She is an active member of the school’s SPEAK iMPACT club.
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