NASA newly-discovered asteroid named after Egyptian scientist Farouk El-Baz

CAIRO - 21 September 2019: NASA named a newly discovered asteroid after Farouk El-Baz, the Egyptian space scientist, in recognition of his outstanding scientific contributions.

Also, the Minister of State for Migration and Egyptians Abroad Affairs Nabila Makram congratulated El-Baz via the ministry's official page on Facebook.



In the same context, El-Baz announced that the World Astronomical Union of the United Nations announced the launching of the name "El-Baz" on an asteroid in space as a result of his role with NASA, beginning with the Apollo project to explore the surface of the moon in the mid-sixties of the last Apollo Sios American - Russian Joint Trip.

This is the first time an Egyptian asteroid has been named in the sky. El-Baz, was born on January 2, 1938 in Zagazig, Sharkia governorate.

El-Baz earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry and geology from Ain Shams University at the age of 20. In 1961, he obtained a master's degree in geology, a doctorate in 1964 then worked for NASA during the Apollo program.