Nepal's MUNAL Satellite being launched today

KATHMANDU: Nepal’s student-built MUNAL satellite was scheduled to be launched today, the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) said.

NAST said preparations for the launch of the satellite, developed by higher secondary-level Nepali students, were complete. The project, which has been under development for two years, is being hailed as a landmark achievement in Nepal’s progress in space science.

The MUNAL satellite is intended for monitoring plants, testing domestic technology and processing AI-driven data. NAST’s Member Secretary, Dr Rabindra Prasad Dhakal, had said the launch by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was scheduled to be conducted from the Academy’s ground station in Khumaltar, Lalitpur, at 10:32 am local time.

NAST posted about the planned launch on its Facebook page. As the scheduled launch time has passed, officials have not yet issued a formal confirmation of success or provided further details. An update from NAST or the launch partner is awaited.

(With inputs from RSS)