In a groundbreaking event that blended Earth’s highest peak with outer space, Russian cosmonaut Sergey Ryazansky made a live video call to the International Space Station (ISS) from the base of Mount Everest. The historic connection was powered by Starlink, the satellite internet service developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
The call, made on May 14, connected the base of the world’s tallest mountain with astronauts orbiting the Earth, showcasing the capability of satellite internet to bridge even the most extreme geographic gaps. The moment stunned viewers around the globe and was praised for its technological significance.
However, not everyone is celebrating.
The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) quickly responded, stating that Starlink is not legally authorized for use in Nepal. In an official notice, the NTA declared the use of the satellite internet service in the country to be illegal and demanded an immediate halt to such activities. The authority cited Nepal’s Telecommunications Act, warning that operating unlicensed services violates national regulations.
“This kind of use, without prior coordination or permission, undermines our country’s telecommunications laws,” an NTA official told local media.
Despite the legal pushback, some mountaineers and adventure tech experts argue that Starlink has improved safety and communication on Everest. For climbers in remote and dangerous terrain, reliable high-speed internet could mean faster weather updates, emergency communication, and better logistical coordination.
This isn’t the first time Starlink has reached the Himalayas. In 2024, a SpaceX engineer tested the technology at high altitudes near Everest, although he failed to complete a scheduled live chat with Elon Musk due to signal challenges. Even so, the experiment sparked hope among adventure enthusiasts—and concern among regulators.
As interest in high-altitude connectivity grows, Nepal finds itself at a crossroads. The government must now decide how to balance the promise of cutting-edge global technology with its need for regulatory oversight, national security, and infrastructure sovereignty.
For now, the Everest-to-space call remains a symbolic achievement, and a legal gray area, as global technology outpaces national boundaries.
