Nigeria Begins Construction of its First-Ever Geodetic VLBI Project ...

Source: Nigeria Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA)

Today, the Director General of the Nigeria Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) flagged off a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Geodetic Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) project at the Center for Geodesy and Geodynamics (CGG) in Toro, Bauchi State. This project, the first of its kind in the country, is a collaboration between Nigeria and China’s Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (SHAO). Additionally, this milestone comes after a delegation from SHAO visited NASRDA in 2023 for engagements and discussions regarding the implementation plan for constructing and operating a VLBI system in sub-Saharan Africa.

The VLBI project is set to deliver capabilities far beyond conventional geodesy. Once operational, it will enable Nigeria to track spacecraft, monitor space missions, study Earth’s rotation, and analyse tectonic plate movements. These abilities further position Nigeria as a valuable contributor to the global network of geodetic observatories. Additionally, the data shared from these observations with international partners will aid in a wide range of scientific research and applications. NASRDA and its Chinese collaborators have been instrumental in making this vision a reality. 

The proposed architecture of the VLBI Geodesy Construction. Source: Nigeria Space and Research Development. The African VLBI Network

This project strategically positions Nigeria to contribute to the African VLBI Network (AVN), a network of VLBI-capable radio telescopes on the African continent, which is currently in the developmental phase. Historically, the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO) in South Africa has exclusively participated in global geodetic and astronomical VLBI experiments among African radio telescopes. With the recent conversion of Ghana’s defunct 32-metre telecommunication dish to a radio telescope capable of VLBI science, Nigeria’s entry could significantly advance the West African region in global geodesy and radio astronomy. 

There is no accurate reference frame for Africa because, currently, only HartRAO can carry out geodesy experiments globally. Geodetic VLBI experiments will accurately fix positions for the African reference frame, vital for accurate surveying and mapping. Nigeria’s geodetic VLBI project is a strategic move to strengthen its position as a significant player in space science and geodetics, fostering national development and global collaboration.