Last night, many of us were happy and excited after reading a news report that claimed a Bangladeshi woman was going to the moon. But sadly, this news is not accurate. No one from Bangladesh has been officially selected to go to the moon yet.
How the Rumor Started
1. The First Report
The story began when the English daily The Business Standard (TBS) published an article about a Bangladeshi woman named Ruthba Yasmin. The article said that she participated in a program called Moon Pioneer Mission by an American company named Space Nation. In that program, every participant was a woman.
Ruthba expressed her own aspiration to be the first woman to set foot on the moon at the article’s conclusion.
2. Misleading Social Media Post
After TBS published the news, a social media page called The Headline made a post claiming that Ruthba would be the first Bangladeshi to walk on the moon. They referred to TBS as their source.
The message had been shared hundreds of times by the time they made minor changes to the headline and caption.
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3. News Spread Widely
After this, other social media pages, websites, and newspapers began to report the same claim — that Ruthba was going to the moon as the first Bangladeshi woman.
What Is Actually True?
Let’s now look at the real facts behind this story.
1. About Space Nation
- Space Nation was first established in Finland in 2013.
- In 2019, they moved their operations to the United States.
- The business asserts that it has been working with NASA since 2017, despite the lack of hard proof.
2. Space Nation’s Mission and Challenges
- They wanted to establish a program that would allow anyone in the world to train to become an astronaut.
- But this dream was never fully realized.
- Over the years, the company has faced many financial problems.
3. The Real Program Offered
- Right now, Space Nation operates a training facility in Texas, USA.
- They run a 3-day program called Moon Space Mission Simulation.
- This is not a real astronaut training, but more like an experience to feel what it’s like to be in space.
- No past experience is required to join.
- They claim the program is led by a former NASA astronaut.
4. Anyone Can Join This Program
- This 3-day program is open to everyone.
- You can simply apply and take part.
- Being chosen for a true moon mission or going to space are not assured by the program.
- Ruthba Yasmin joined this program — but she has not been selected to go to the moon.
What’s Happening with Real Moon Missions?
1. NASA’s Artemis Mission
- NASA is currently preparing to go back to the moon through the Artemis Mission.
- Some astronauts have been selected to fly around the moon, but no one has yet been confirmed to actually land on the moon’s surface.
- The full team for the moon landing has not been decided yet.
2. No Bangladeshi Chosen Yet
- No official announcement has been made by NASA or any other space agency about selecting any Bangladeshi person — male or female — for a moon mission.
- Ruthba simply expressed her hope and dream of walking on the moon. Hoping is good, but that does not mean it will happen soon.
Why the News Was Misleading
- Space Nation’s program is only 3 days long.
- Real astronaut training at NASA takes about 2 years.
- Thinking that someone will go to the moon after just 3 days of training is not realistic.
- So, based on all the facts, we can say that the headline claiming that Ruthba will be the first Bangladeshi on the moon is not true.
Final Words
Dreams are important. Ruthba Yasmin’s participation in a space-related program is admirable and inspiring. But it is not the same as being selected by NASA or another official space agency to go to the moon. We should be proud of her interest in space, but we also need to be careful about spreading false or incomplete information.
Credit: Science Bee
