Official name NIGCOMSAT 1
Alternative name NigComSat 1
Cospar ID 2007-018A
Norad ID 31395
Launch date 2007-05-13
Launch site XSC
Launch vehicle CZ-3B/G2
Country/Organization Nigeria
Type application Communication
Operator NigComSat LTD
RCS size LARGE
Decay date ON ORBIT
Period (min) 1437.11
Inclination (deg) 10.59
Perigee (km) 35774
Apogee (km) 35839
Eccentricity 0.000907656431094913
Mean motion (revs. per day) 1.00201098037033
Semi-Major axis (km) 42184.635
Raan (deg) 38.5766
Arg of perigee (deg) 70.3895
Shape Box + 2 Pan
Mass (kg) 5086
Height (m) 5
Width (m) 2.5
Depth (m) 2.5
Span (m^2) 30
Lifetime 15 years
Contractors CAST
Equipment 4 C-band, 14 Ku-band, 8 Ka-band, 2 L-band transponders
Configuration DFH-4 bus
Power 2 deployable solar arrays, batteries

Nigeria reportedly signed in December 2004 a contract with CGWIC for the design, manufacture and launch of the NIGCOMSAT 1 (Nigerian Communication Satellite). It was based on the chinese DFH-4 Bus and featured 4 C-band, 14 Ku-band, 8 Ka-band and 2 L-band transponders.

The satellite was successfully launched on 13.05.2007 on a CZ-3B/G2 booster.

In April 2008, NIGCOMSAT 1 lost power from the southern solar array. The satellite failed in November 2008 due to a technical error of the satellite's northern solar array and was sent to a graveyard orbit as it became apparent, that the satellite could not be recovered.

In March 2009 Nigeria signed a contract for the free delivery and launch of a replacement satellite called NIGCOMSAT 1R. It was launched in 2011.

Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
NIGCOMSAT 1 2007-018A 2007-05-13 XSC CZ-3B/G2
NIGCOMSAT 1R 2011-077A 2011-12-19 XSC CZ-3B/G2