[SatNews] The date has been set for this historic launch of the next satellites in the DMC...

SSTL has announced it will launch the NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-X satellites on behalf of the Nigerian National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) by a Dnepr launch vehicle from Yasny, Russia , on August 17th, 2011. Both NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-X will be launched into the Disaster Monitoring Constellation, where they will assist with disaster relief and global environmental monitoring campaigns alongside satellites from other consortium members ASAL (Algeria), BLMIT (China), Deimos Space (Spain) and SSTL (UK). A joint SSTL and NASRDA team performed the launch campaign tasks in Yasny, ensuring that both satellites are healthy and ready to launch. SSTL Executive Chairman, Sir Martin Sweeting, will accompany a delegation of 12 Nigerian ministers and NASRDA head, Dr S.O. Mohammed, for the historic launch. Both satellites will significantly boost African capabilities for natural resource management.