Nigeria has joined four other nations in a new democratic astronaut selection process launched by the Space Exploration Research Agency (SERA). The initiative, announced yesterday, allows citizens to apply and compete for spaceflight seats through a blockchain-powered voting system.
SERA’s Mission Control platform on Telegram enables individuals from Nigeria, India, Indonesia, Brazil, and Thailand to participate. Unlike traditional astronaut programs that require advanced degrees or military backgrounds, the system opens opportunities to people from any profession or educational level.
Joshua Skurla, SERA co-founder, said the move follows the agency’s 2022 success in sending Victor Hespanha to space as South America’s first civilian astronaut. “We’re scaling democratic space access to five nations simultaneously, plus a global seat. Nigeria’s seat means someone from any background can represent their nation in space based on community choice,” he stated.
Nigeria’s National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) welcomed the development. Its Director General, Dr Matthew Olumide Adepoju, said the partnership supports Nigeria’s long-term spaceflight goals. “This aligns with our vision of expanding Nigeria’s space presence beyond satellites to human spaceflight,” he explained.
Dr Anne Agi, President of Learnspace Foundation, which facilitated the partnership, highlighted the program’s inclusive impact. “We’re building bridges between communities, institutions, and industry to ensure Nigeria’s journey to human spaceflight is not only historic but inclusive,” she said.
Applicants will earn SpaceDust points by completing challenges on the platform. Voting, conducted transparently on the TON Blockchain, will determine who secures Nigeria’s guaranteed seat on a future Blue Origin mission. Five seats are reserved for the participating nations, with an additional global seat open to candidates from any country.
SERA also integrates community-driven science by allowing users to submit and vote on experiments for space missions. Sam Hutchison, SERA co-founder, described the initiative as transformative. “A teacher in Abuja or a content creator in Lagos can now compete for Nigeria’s space seat through community engagement, not just academic credentials,” he said.
Since 1961, about 800 people have travelled to space, but none from Nigeria or most developing nations. The program marks the first opportunity for Nigerian citizens to achieve astronaut status through collective selection.
Applications are now open on the SERA Mission Control Telegram app. Selected astronauts will undergo standard Blue Origin safety training before their missions.
