Nasa invites people to send their name to the moon
Artist's impression of Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft
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Friday, 02, May 2008 12:34
People who have always wanted to go to space but are not ever likely to do so can try an alternative by sending their name to the moon as part of a Nasa mission.
The initiative invites people to submit their information at the website www.nasa.gov/lro where it will then be entered into a database.
This database will be placed on a microchip that will be integrated in the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft.
LRO will launch later this year to help gather data for Nasa's planned return to the moon.
Scientists hope the mission will help to find safe landing sites, locate potential resources, characterise the radiation environment and test new technology.
"Everyone who sends their name to the moon, like I'm doing, becomes part of the next wave of lunar explorers," said Cathy Peddie, deputy project manager for LRO at Nasa's Goddard Space Flight Centre.
"The LRO mission is the first step in Nasa's plans to return humans to the moon by 2020 and your name can reach there first."
People who submit their name will receive a certificate and the knowledge that their moniker will be in orbit around the moon for years to come.
Details must be submitted by June 27th 2008.