International Hope School Bangladesh (IHSB) is making its fourth appearance at the NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC), representing Bangladesh on a global stage once again.

This year, IHSB is the only high school team from Bangladesh selected to participate in both categories of the competition—the human-powered challenge and the remote-controlled challenge.

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Hosted annually by NASA, the HERC is a renowned event that engages students from around the world in hands-on engineering challenges inspired by real-world problems in space exploration. The 2024 edition kicked off on April 10 at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, USA.

As a returning participant, IHSB is showcasing its continued dedication to STEM innovation. With an expanded team and enhanced vision, the 26-member group has been working tirelessly on research, design, and testing to prepare for this year's challenge.

The team is being mentored by advisors Abul Kalam Azad and Moonzoor Morshed, with technical guidance from Shahidul Hassan Monti and Iftekhar Hossain. Student team leads Shajadi Ayman Sultana and Mahjabin Alam Roshni are leading the charge in this ambitious endeavour.

Accompanying the team are Kamrul Ahsan, head of the senior section at IHSB’s Uttara branch; Rockibul Karim, deputy head of the Gulshan branch; and teachers Adnan Shihab Ahmed and Saima Samad.

School chairman Timothy Donald Fisher encouraged the team with a heartfelt message: "You are not only representing the school but your country. Carry the green and red with honour and make Bangladesh proud."

"We are extremely grateful for our technical advisor teachers. Their guidance, resilience, and patience helped us turn our rovers into reality,’ said the student team.

SSC, equivalent exam begins Thursday

"From research papers, presentations, to engineering – our team is dedicated to shining in all sectors of the challenge. This esteemed competition plays an integral role in providing young enthusiasts with an amazing opportunity, especially those with a keen interest in STEM and robotics,” the team also said.

"Every member of the team brings passion and expertise to the table, and together, we’re building a project that is not just about competition; it is about creating a real-world impact, it added.

NASA’s HERC continues to be a vital platform for encouraging student innovation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The event brings together student teams from around the globe to develop creative solutions to the challenges of space exploration.