MEA, NSIL ink MoU to assist launch of Nepal-made Munal satellite
The Munal satellite, developed under the aegis of the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), aims to build a vegetation density database of the earth’s surface.
New Delhi: The ministry of extal affairs (MEA) and state-run New Space India Limited (NSIL) signed an agreement on Saturday on grant aid for the launch of a satellite developed in Nepal by students and a space startup.
The Munal satellite, developed under the aegis of the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), aims to build a vegetation density database of the earth’s surface. A launch service agreement for launching the Munal satellite was signed by NSIL and NAST when external affairs minister S Jaishankar visited Nepal in January.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by Anurag Srivastava, joint secretary (North) in the external affairs ministry, and NSIL director Arunachalam A. NAST secretary Rabindra Prasad Dhakal, Surendra Thapa, chargé d’affaires of the Nepal embassy, and Abhas Maskey, founder of the space startup Antarikchya Pratishan Nepal (APN) were present at the event.
APN has assisted Nepalese students in designing and fabricating the Munal satellite, which is expected to be launched soon on NSIL’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
Arunachalam told the media that the satellite will be launched as part of the payload on board the PSLV in the coming months. Thapa said the engagement between India and Nepal has now “gone to outer space”.
“We used to say that Nepal-India relations are as high as the Himalayas and as deep as the India Ocean. Now we can say that it is as high as our satellite Munal,” Thapa said.
Dhakal said the satellite will add a lot of value to space research activities in Nepal. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has supported NSIL in this endeavour, which could be a milestone in developing small satellites, he said.
The Munal satellite has AI-supported imagery functions and Nepal is looking forward to further collaboration with Indian space research agencies and other organisations, he said.