KATHMANDU: The ground station constructed by the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) at its premises in Khumaltar, district of Lalitpur to collect information from Nepali's first nano-satellite, Nepali Sat-1, could not yet obtain information due to technical failures.
The ground station was designed to receive the image signals and other information from the USA that was launched into orbit on April 18, 2019 to be sent by the Nepali Sat-1.
The inability to obtain the information from the Nepali Sat-1 is due to various reasons such as radio signals not matching the frequencies, old radio model required to obtain and submit the information, no more fabrication of old radio equipment model among others, NAST spokesman Suresh Kumar Dhungel told.
Together with Sri Lanka's 'Ravan 1' and Japan's Ubishu, the 1.3 kilogram Nano-satellite Nepali assembled by two Nepali engineers was launched into space. The three nano-sattelites measured 1,000 cubic centimeters in volume and weighed 4.5 kilograms.
NAST Chief of Technology Faculty, Rabindra Prasad Dhakal, said, "NAST is currently purchasing its time to procure correct radio equipment models from African countries. We are coordinating efforts with other Member Countries such as Bhutan, Japan and Bangladesh to obtain information from the Nepali Sat-1 among others.
The solar-powered Nepali Sat-1 has a 5-megapixel camera and has three-year life cycle. It takes about 90 minutes for Nepali Sat-1 to orbit the Earth during which it takes images of the natural phenomena and sends them to ground station.
The Birds-3 project included Avash Maskey and Hari Ram Shrestha in the construction of the nano-satellite at Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech) University, Japan. The University of Kyutech had funded Nepali Sat-1 construction at subsidized expense. RSS