The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

A seminar on the 39th anniversary of landing on the moon by Apollo-11 organised by Bangladesh Astronomical Society (BAS) at the Auditorium of Foundation for Research on Educational Planning and Development (FREPD) at Nilkhet in the city recently.

On July 20, 1969 the US astronaut Neil Armstrong, Commander of NASA's Apollo-11 Lunar Mission, had stepped down on the surface of moon as the first man of the world at 2:17am Bangladesh time and made a history for the mankind by landing on an object beyond the earth. Astronaut Edwin Aldrin followed him within a few minutes and they stayed about 22 kilograms. In the seminar, FR Sarkar, General Secretary of BAS and the first zero gravity flyer of Bangladesh has demonstrated an Apollo-11 model with audio and separation system similar to the real Saturn-V rocket which was used in Apollo mission.

Students were amazed and obtained a clear concept about a space mission through the demonstration. Dr AR Khan, President of BAS and former president of the Department of Applied Physics of Dhaka University, Dr AKM Aminul Haque, Vice President of BAS and former vice chancellor of Bangladesh Agriculture University, Dr KM Sirajul Islam, Vice President of the Society and former director of the National Museum, Dr Mobarak Ali Akand, Treasurer of the Society and former chairman of Comilla Education Board, among others, spoke at the seminar. Commemorating the historical space event on its 39th anniversary, a discussion meeting, power point presentation and video show were screened in the seminar.