Abuja: Prof. Babatunde Rabiu, a Space Physicist, has urged Nigeria and other developing countries to draw inspiration from the Artemis II Moon mission to prioritize investment in science, research, and technology. Rabiu, a Research Director at the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), emphasized this during an interview in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Rabiu was assessing the significance of the recent Artemis II Moon mission by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on April 1. The Artemis II mission is part of NASA’s broader Artemis program aimed at returning humans to the Moon for the first time in over 50 years, while also laying the groundwork for future deep space exploration, including missions to Mars.
Rabiu, who is also the Head of the Space Physics Programme at the African University of Science and Technology (AUST), described the mission as a scientific milestone and a powerful demonstration of what sustained investment in research could ach
ieve. He noted that the mission is the result of nearly a decade of structured work that began around 2017.
“The mission is a breakthrough, a celebration, and a manifestation of human intelligence,” Rabiu stated. “It shows cutting-edge research at its peak and reflects years of deliberate investment and planning.”
He explained that the program was built on the success of Artemis I, an uncrewed mission inaugurated in 2022 to test the spacecraft and other systems in deep space before human involvement. The objective of Artemis II was not primarily to establish human settlement on the Moon but to advance space exploration capabilities.
Rabiu highlighted that one of the key goals of the mission was to test the reliability and performance of the Orion capsule in carrying humans beyond low Earth orbit. He noted that the mission achieved notable milestones, including diverse crew representation and participation across the U.S., thereby showing important milestones and inclusivity for humanity. The mission also i
nvolved humans traveling beyond the Moon and capturing rare images of both the Earth and the Moon from deep space.
Beyond its scientific and symbolic significance, Rabiu stressed that Nigeria and other developing nations should be spurred to action. He urged African countries to see the mission as proof that no nation has a monopoly on space exploration and that they too can rise beyond their current levels by taking science and technology seriously.
Rabiu called on Nigerian leaders, policymakers, and investors to seize the moment by strengthening local institutions and supporting research-driven development. He emphasized that space technology has practical applications for developing countries, particularly in areas such as security, communication, and environmental monitoring.
Rabiu concluded by saying that achieving such progress requires collaboration across sectors, including scientists, engineers, journalists, and policymakers, and that the success of Artemis II was a result of combined efforts beyo
nd just science alone.