Hong Kong Space Museum, OMEGA welcome one of the first men to walk on the Moon as they launch an exhibition featuring actual gear used during the Moon Landing missions
Aldrin donates replica 'Moonprint' to Museum, answers questions from leading Hong Kong students and experts
HONG KONG, June 19 /Buzz Aldrin, the famous astronaut who flew into space twice and walked on the Moon, today participated in the launch of "Beyond Time," an exhibition celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Moon Landing that occurred on July 21, 1969, at GMT 02:56. "Beyond Time" is showing at the Hong Kong Space Museum from Friday, June 19, through Sunday, June 21.
Presented by the Hong Kong Space Museum and OMEGA, maker of the Speedmaster-the only watch approved by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for manned space missions, and the only watch to have been on the Moon - "Beyond Time" features items such as spacesuits, instruments, flight plans, cameras, OMEGA Speedmaster watches and other exhibits never before seen in Hong Kong. Many of the exhibits were used by American as well as Soviet and Russian astronauts and personnel in their exploration of space. Many are also from the Apollo program - which included all the Moon Landing missions, starting from Apollo 11-and accompanied astronauts to the Moon.
Mr. Aldrin officiated alongside Mr. James H. Ragan, NASA Aerospace Engineer; Mr. Chan Ki-hung, Curator of the Hong Kong Space Museum; and Mr. Stephen Urquhart, President of OMEGA.
Mr. Aldrin and Mr. Urquhart also respectively donated to the Hong Kong Space Museum a replica of the famous footprint photographed on the surface of the Moon, created during a "Moonprint Ceremony" at the event, and a replica of a Speedmaster worn into space by astronaut Frank Borman. The Moonprint and Speedmaster will go on permanent display following the conclusion of the exhibition.
For the Moonprint Ceremony, Mr. Aldrin donned a replica space boot and then stepped into a rectangular box filled with a special mold to imitate his first footstep on the Moon's surface.
Following the Moonprint and Speedmaster donations, Mr. Aldrin and Mr. Ragan answered questions from nine of Hong Kong's award-winning local students and experts in the areas of science and space exploration. Each has represented Hong Kong abroad and is from one of the past seven decades; for example Miss Lee Cheuk Wing, a primary student and winner of the Science Fantasy Drawing Category in the Hong Kong Youth Science Technology & Invention Competition 08-09, and acclaimed professor Dr. Chan Kwing Lam of the Department of Mathematics at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, a former NASA researcher and advisor to the Chinese space program.
Speaking about the event, Mr. Aldrin said, "It is wonderful to see the growing level of interest in space travel in Asia, especially following the recent success of China's Shenzhou VII astronauts, and I think it's fantastic that the Hong Kong Space Museum and OMEGA have partnered to bring these exhibits to Hong Kong for the first time ever."
"The Hong Kong Space Museum is delighted to continue serving the public as a leading institution in Asia for public education in space exploration and astronomy," said Mr. Chan, "and we are honored to host Mr. Aldrin and Mr. Ragan as Hong Kong celebrates the 40th anniversary of the first Moon Landing."
"Beyond Time" features a number of exhibits including:
-- A replica NASA spacesuit
-- A glove worn by Apollo astronauts during the Moon Landing missions
-- A replica of the Lunar Module that enabled Apollo astronauts to land and walk on the Moon
-- Cameras the Apollo 11 astronauts used to document their time on the Moon
-- Flight plans that guided astronaut crews during their missions
-- Speedmaster Professionals, a.k.a. "Moon Watches," qualified by NASA in 1965 for all manned space missions
Mr. Ragan, who among many other duties led the rigorous chronograph testing for astronauts that ultimately led to the selection of the OMEGA Speedmaster, said, "What we hope to communicate to everyone who attends the 'Beyond Time' exhibition is what an incredible achievement the Moon Landing was. With the recent pledges by the American and Chinese governments to pursue Moon missions again, we believe this will help captivate a whole new generation around the world."
"I would like to thank our hosts and co-sponsors of this event, the Hong Kong Space Museum, for the excellent job they have done in coordinating the Beyond Time exhibition," said Mr. Urquhart. "They have been outstanding partners, and it is a pleasure to work with an organization which is as enthusiastic about space travel as OMEGA.
"OMEGA is delighted that you and they are here to commemorate the 40th anniversary of one of mankind's true technological triumphs, the Apollo 11 mission."
"Beyond Time" is now open to the public. It is showing on the ground floor of the Hong Kong Space Museum. For information about the "Beyond Time" exhibition, call 2721-0226 or go to http://hk.space.museum/ .
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