We are still years away from seeing humans step on Mars, the red planet, but NASA, a space agency based in the USA, is currently inviting everyone to submit their names so it could fly with the next Mars rover that is set to launch in July 2020.
Every submitted name will be placed on a microchip in the Mars 2020 rover, the announcement was made by the space agency on Tuesday.
People who are willing to send their names with the 2020 Mars rover, will get a souvenir boarding pass and will have their names placed on microchips used for the expedition.
The 2020 Mars Rover is expected to launch on July 2020, no official date has been announced, and is expected to land on Mars by February 2021.
The new Mars Rover weighs around 1000 kilograms and will be sent out in the Red Planet so it could search for signs of a microbial lie, characterize the planet’ geology and climate, collect samples for the earth, and will act as an exploration rover so it could help humans know the planet better.
Thomas Zurbuchen, the Associate Administrator of SMD (Science Mission Directorate), said, “As we get ready to launch this historic Mars mission, we want everyone to share in this journey of exploration.”
Thomas added, “It’s an exciting time for NASA, as we embark on this voyage to answer profound questions about our neighboring planet, and even the origins of life itself,” he added.
The JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory), which is located in Pasadena, California, will be using an electron beam to stencil the names to a chip on the Mars 2020 rover.
The chip that will be carrying your names will be placed under a glass cover in the rover.
During the InSight mission to Mars, there were more than 2 million names aboard the rover.
Submit your name before September 30, 2019, so it could travel with the 2020 Mars Rover.