INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:

Kathmandu, July 6 In a much-hyped hullabaloo after launching the country first satellite NepaliSat-1 into space on April 18, Nepal Academy

of Science and Technology had promised to bring the ground station required to command the satellite into operation within a couple of

weeks. But, the construction of the ground station is in limbo even two-and-a-half months after the launch. NAST has not even installed an

antenna for the station, let alone other things. Even Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, after the satellite launch on April 17, had said that

Nepal had entered the space-era

But the situation is such that the government is relying on Bhutan to receive the signals sent by the satellite that revolves around the

Earth lower orbit. NAST had, on June 18, made another promise: to capture the first pictures sent by the satellite with the country own

ground station within the next week

But chances are high that this promise will also be as hollow as its other promises. NAST had handed over responsibilities to supply

computers and other equipment necessary to construct the ground station to Decade International Pvt Ltd

The deadline provided to the contractor had already expired on June 22

However, NAST officials are saying that the long and tedious procurement process has been a hindrance. Programme head of ground station

Roshan Pandey said, &Delay on our own side has hindered the process of buying the antenna.& He also said that they would operate the ground

station soon after receiving the antenna. NAST also confirmed that the NepaliSat-1 has sent some satellite pictures of the country as

commanded by Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech) in Japan

Kyutech had supported two Nepali scientists, Aabhas Maskey and Hariram Shrestha in developing the satellite. Meanwhile, it is also said that

Nepal cannot officially receive these data even if the ground station is ready as the country needs to register the ‘call-sign& of the

satellite with United Nation Office for Outer Space Affairs, a UN body to assist peaceful uses of outer space, before receiving data

The official call sign of NepaliSat-1 is JG6YLF, but it has not been officially registered with UNOOSA, according to NAST officials

The registration should be made through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On being asked about the same, NAST officials refused to make any

comment in this regard. They however, informed that the government had already sent an official letter regarding registration. The post

Construction of ground station still in limbo appeared first on The Himalayan Times.