SERA opens Nigerian seat on Blue Origin flight

The Space Exploration & Research Agency (SERA) has launched a new astronaut selection initiative that gives Nigerians the chance to compete for a seat on an upcoming Blue Origin spaceflight. Expanding its community-based astronaut model, SERA is opening seats to five countries—Nigeria, India, Indonesia, Brazil and Thailand—alongside a global open seat.

The selection process operates through SERA Mission Control, a Telegram-based mini-app built on the TON Blockchain. Candidates complete challenges to earn “SpaceDust” points and secure community votes, with the blockchain ensuring transparent and tamper-proof verification.

SERA first tested this democratic model in 2022 when Victor Hespanha became South America’s first civilian astronaut, flying on Blue Origin’s New Shepard. The Nigerian seat provides a pathway for citizens outside traditional astronaut programs to represent their country in space.

“Following the success of SERA’s inaugural flight, we’re scaling community-driven space access to five nations plus a global seat,” said Joshua Skurla, SERA co-founder. “This creates a path for anyone in Nigeria to compete for a space seat based on community support.”

The initiative complements Nigeria’s broader space ambitions led by NASRDA, extending beyond satellite development. Dr. Matthew Olumide Adepoju, NASRDA Director General, said the programme ensures Nigerian representation reflects the nation’s diverse population. Learnspace Foundation facilitated the collaboration, emphasising inclusivity and global engagement.

SERA Mission Control also features a Science Platform where communities can submit and vote on experiments, creating decentralised research opportunities. “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,” added SERA co-founder Sam Hutchison.

With six seats reserved on the upcoming Blue Origin mission—five for partner nations and one global seat—applications are now open via Telegram. Selected astronauts will undergo Blue Origin’s standard safety training before launch, offering a historic opportunity for community-selected civilian representation from developing nations.