NASA Offers Opportunity to Send Your Name to Mars

We are likely still a few years away from the first humans walking on Mars, yet NASA is giving the public the chance to send their names to the Red Planet aboard the NASA 2020 Mars rover, marking the first phase of humanity's journey to another planet. The rover is scheduled to launch in July 2020 and is expected to reach Mars in February 2021.

The rover is essentially a robot scientist weighing over 2,300 pounds (1,000 kg). It will search for signs of past microbial life, characterize the planet's climate and geology, collect necessary samples, and pave the way for future missions to the Red Planet.

“As we prepare to launch this historic Mars mission, we want everyone to share in this journey of exploration with us,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) in Washington. 'This is an exciting time for NASA as we seek answers to deep questions about our neighboring planet and even the origins of life.'

The opportunity to send your name to Mars comes with a souvenir boarding pass and frequent flyer points. This is part of a public engagement campaign aimed at highlighting NASA's journey from the Moon to Mars.

From now until September 30, you can add your name to the list and receive a souvenir boarding pass to Mars!

I want to send my name too!