‘Experience of a life time’
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: It was an experience of a lifetime for 11-year-old Tehskhemlang Rynjah who was part of a 15-member contingent which visited NASA’s Space Camp in the United States.
Tehskhemlang, who was the youngest member of the group, had undergone astronautic training at the US Space and Rocket Centre, Huntsville, Alabama, USA from October 9 to 16.
“I would never forget this experience for the rest of my life,” Tehskhemlang said during an interaction with the media, which was also attended by other members of the contingent.
He said it was a unique experience to be associated with NASA and to undergo training on space and science related activities.
“All of us did not want to come back. We really enjoyed both practical and theoretical training at the space camp of NASA including the simulated space shuttle missions,” Tehskhemlang, a Class VI student of Assam Rifles Public School, said.
When asked if he was scared during the training, he said, “There was never an occasion where I was scared during the training since I was enjoying it”.
Meanwhile, a student of Army School, Shillong, Tushar Sharma, said the training on how to walk on the moon under reduced gravity was a unique experience.
“We were also briefed about rocket launching and how to handle space shuttles,” Sharma said.
Lenong Lego from Assam Rifles Public School said the trip helped the students to inculcate team work and leadership qualities.
“We were trained on the ways and means to overcome fear of heights,” Lenong said, while adding that mountain climbing was also challenging. “The training would help our personal growth,” he added.
Meanwhile, Principal of Assam Rifles Public School, PK Rajora, said the school had sent 13 students to the USA and the remaining 2 were from Army School.
“The programme also helped the students to strengthen their inter-personal skills such as power of reasoning, problem solving ability besides inculcating leadership qualities”, Rajora said.
As the expenditure of over Rs 2 lakh per student was borne by the parents, the Assam Rifles official said they would seek assistance from North Eastern Council and other agencies including the state governments to sponsor poor meritorious student for such future space camps.
The Space Camp Ambassador Brij Mohan Sood assured to provide Rs 1 lakh to sponsor a poor meritorious student for the training in the space camp during the next trip.
Lina Roy, general manager of the Space Camp, said this was for the first time a team of students from the Northeast had undergone training at NASA.