At 08:22am on May 22, 2007, Beijing Time, Nigeria’s first communications satellite, NigcomSat-1, launched on May 14, was successfully positioned at a longitude of 42°E after a series of five orbit maneuvers.
After completing in-orbit tests, the prime contractor, China Great Wall Industry Corp. (CGWIC) will deliver NigcomSat-1 to Nigeria’s National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) and will shortly thereafter be put into service.
The successful launch and positioning of the NigcomSat-1 communications satellite in May 2007 marks a major milestone for China’s satellite export business. Prime contractor CGWIC has for the first time provided satellite in-orbit delivery services to an international customer as part of a whole package including satellite manufacture, launch services, ground station construction, project financing, insurance and training. The completion of the NigcomSat-1 satellite in-orbit delivery mission will mark comprehensive improvements in terms of internationalisation, commercialisation, standardisation and systemization within China’s aerospace industry. CGWIC’s project management capability is rapidly catching up with the international standard.
Although CGWIC has completed 24 launch missions for international customers over the past 17 years, this marks the first time that the company has exported satellite to an international customer. The successful delivery of Nigcomsat-1 is the result of the rapid development of Chinese satellite and launch vehicle technology, as well as the capacity upgrading of the Chinese aerospace industry as a whole. By implementing its first satellite in-orbit delivery project, CGWC has successfully positioned itself as a primary contractor capable of providing all-in-one in-orbit delivery services comprising launch services, satellite and ground systems, instead of limiting itself to providing launch services as in the past.
As a primary contractor for satellite in-orbit delivery projects, CGWIC offers the following advantages: high compatibility levels between Chinese satellites and launch vehicles, high technical interface coordination efficiency levels, a strict quality control system, competitive pricing, and strong financing and insurance support. With all of these benefits, CGWIC is capable of tailoring individualised solutions to the needs of its customers, increasing customer value, satisfaction and loyalty, and contributing to China’s peaceful application of space technology across an ever expanding area.