Nepali Students’ Handmade ‘Slippers Satellite’ Reaches Space
Successful Launch of Nepal's Third CubeSat Opens New Doors for Space Technology Education in Marginalized Communities
# Lucky Chand
A satellite built by the hands of Nepali students, the ‘Slippers2Sat’, has begun its journey orbiting in space. On Wednesday, China’s commercial space company, CAS Space, successfully launched three international satellites for the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Nepal aboard its Lijian-1 carrier rocket. This marks the beginning of a new chapter for space education and technological empowerment in Nepal.
At the heart of this historic launch, the ‘Slippers2Sat’ (S2S) is Nepal’s third 1U CubeSat. This project is a joint initiative by Antarikchya Pratisthan Nepal and the Amateur Radio Digital Communications Foundation. It aims ambitiously to deliver space-science-friendly education to socially marginalized communities, low-income families, and indigenous groups. The satellite’s primary objective is to provide junior-high students in Nepal with hands-on, practical knowledge in satellite design and construction. It will also demonstrate a software-based digital repeater system on amateur radio bands to serve users globally.
This success represents Nepal’s first major step toward self-reliance in the field of space technology. It is expected to create a new wave of scientific awareness within the country and inspire young minds to pursue science and technology. The digital repeater system operated by the satellite can help expand communication services to geographically remote areas, significantly contributing to education, healthcare, and emergency services. This achievement has paved a relatively low-cost pathway for Nepal to advance its own satellite technology development.
Through this mission, China’s CAS Space has expanded its commercial space services, having now served a total of 32 satellite clients worldwide. This was the 11th orbital flight for the Lijian-1 rocket, which has successfully delivered 84 satellites into orbit with a total payload mass exceeding 11 tons. The company’s future plans include incorporating advanced technologies such as parachute recovery, grid-fin landing control, and reusable engines. Furthermore, the company claims that its fully reusable Lihong series spacecraft will bring a new revolution in space tourism and scientific research.
The success of this international collaboration has strengthened Nepal’s potential to connect with the global space community and become an emerging hub for space technology in South Asia. As demonstrated by the flight of ‘Slippers2Sat’, small and middle-income nations can also reap inclusive and strategic benefits from space technology. Born from the hands of Nepali youth, this satellite is not merely a piece of technology; it has become a symbol of Nepal’s scientific dreams and aspirations. It carries a message that the future of space technology must be accessible and inclusive for all, which is expected to bring significant transformation to Nepal’s educational and technical landscape.
