Nepal's first ever satellite takes off for space

Nepal has successfully sent its first ever "nano satellite" to the International Space station after a successful launch from NASA facility in the US city of Virginia on Wednesday 17 April 2019.

NepaliSat-1 was launched onboard Antaris rocket from NASA facility in Virginia, US. NASA Video screenshot. Source: NASA

AT 0646 Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) today, first, ever Nepali satellite, was launched from a NASA facility in Virginia.

The Antares rocket carried the Nepali satellite aptly named NEPLISAT-1 along with Ravana-1 from Sri Lanka and a Japanese Uygusi satellite.

Nepali scientist Abhas Maskey lead a team of eight which oversaw the project.

Maskey says, the satellite is tiny and classified as Nano Satellite.

"Nepal's first satellite is 10 centimetres long, 10 centimetres high and 10 centimetres wide, and weighs 1,330 grams," Maskey told the BBC.

Hariram Shrestha, another Nepali, was also involved in the construction of the satellite.

Read the full news report in Nepali: