NASA's Chief Astronaut concludes Bangladesh visit

Joseph M Acaba, chief astronaut of NASA, has concluded a successful visit to Bangladesh after successful engagements with youth, academia, government officials, and media here. His engagements included interactive sessions with students, where he inspired young minds to pursue careers in space science, robotics, STEM, research, and education, said a US embassy press release.

 In a first, Acaba arrived in Dhaka on Saturday (December 14) to engage with local youth, academia, and media. During the visit, Acaba discussed the role of space exploration in advancing technology and addressing global challenges, such as the climate crisis. Acaba shared insights on NASA's contributions to global science and technology and how Bangladesh can benefit from collaborative efforts in space exploration and technology innovation through the Artemis Accords.

The Artemis Accords promote principles for a safe, peaceful, and?prosperous future in space to foster further collaboration between NASA and Bangladesh's growing space and technology sectors. Acaba is an American educator, hydrogeologist, and a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer.

In May 2004, he became the first person of Puerto Rican ancestry to be named a NASA astronaut candidate. In 2023, Acaba was appointed as the chief of the Astronaut Office. As an astronaut, Acaba logged over 306 days in space across three missions-including spacewalks and groundbreaking scientific research aboard the International Space Station.