Nepali Student’s Artwork to Land on the Moon in 2020

Kathmandu-based Kanjirowa National Secondary School today announced that it is all set to send its student’s artwork to the Moon, reports The Himalayan Times.

Why it matters:

• The artwork was designed by Kanjirowa student Bipina Sharma. It will be the first object from Nepal to be sent to the Moon.
• According to Kapil Dev Regmi, the Chairman of the school, the artifact will be brought to the surface of the Moon by Astrobotic Technology’s Peregrine lander, flown aboard United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket, both American companies, in the year 2020.
• A replica of the artwork has been handed over to the Minister for Education and Science & Technology, Girirajmani Pokharel and to the US Embassy in Nepal.

What they are saying:

• Regmi said that it has been possible because of the untiring efforts of our STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) collaborator, Michael Kronmiller, with the support of his family and a world-class team of advisers, including American astronauts.
• Adding, “The art represents Nepal’s unique identity which is very symbolic and it represents Nepal.”
• He also expressed his strong interest to work together with Ministry of Science and Technology and US Embassy in for further STEM project collaboration.

The Backstory:

Kanjirowa is the first school in Nepal to have STEM education system. It was first introduced at Kanjirowa with the help of Michael Kronmiller and his father, former US Ambassador, Theodore Kronmiller.