For those still keen on giving and gifting after Christmas, keep on reading, as NASA might have just the solution for you. The American space agency, which is responsible for humankind’s first-ever footstep on the moon, is inviting people to literally etch their names in the solar system’s history. The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity — which runs until Dec. 31, 2023 — is tied to their forthcoming satellite launch mission dubbed “Europa Clipper,” which will assess the habitability of Jupiter’s moon.
Ahead of its take-off scheduled for October 2024, NASA is handing out virtual boarding passes that allow individuals to stencil their names on a coin-sized microchip which will be mounted onto the departing spaceship. Using an electron beam to mark every inscription, each line of text will measure a mere 75 nanometers, equivalent to 1/1000th the thickness of a human hair.
Whether it’s your own name or someone else’s, the chip will find its place on a metallic plate accompanied by an engraving of a sonnet by American poet Ada Limon titled In Praise of Mystery. What’s more, registered participants will also be able to download a personalized digital certificate from the website featuring an illustration of their name on a message in a bottle and against a scenic view of both Jupiter and its moon.
So far, the response has been astronomical (pun intended), with over two million names already slated for liftoff. But don’t worry, there’s still some time left for you to add yours as NASA’s “Message in a Bottle” campaign will continue to collect names until 11:59 P.M. EST on Dec. 31 (8:59 A.M. GST on Jan. 1, 2024).
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“Scientists are almost certain that beneath Europa’s ever-changing icy crust lies a vast saltwater ocean that holds almost twice as much water as Earth’s oceans. With a thin oxygen atmosphere and abundant water, Europa is considered one of the best places in our solar system to search for life,” NASA wrote in a recent Instagram post.
Named after King Minos’s mother in Greek mythology, and discovered by Simon Marius and Galileo Galilei in the 17th century, Europa is Jupiter’s smallest orbiting moon which ranks sixth in size among all of the solar system’s moons. Allegedly carrying twice the amounts of saltwater Earth has to offer, scientists view it as one of the best places to look for signs of life outside our planet.
Sign up to send your name here.
