In order to etch people on to a microchip that will be sent to Mars, NASA is inviting names from around the world. Today (September 30) is the last day to submit your name online. The microchip will be placed aboard the Mars 2020 rover. Giving out the details, NASA in a tweet had said, "Now with our 'Send Your Name to Mars' program, you can ride along with our #Mars2020 rover on a trip to the Red Planet. Get your boarding pass."
The Microdevices Laboratory at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory will stencil the names on a silicon chip using an electron beam, once the submitted names are reviewed and approved.
Over 9.8 million people have submitted their names so far. The rover is scheduled to be launched around July 2020 and is expected to touch down on Mars by February 2021.
The Mars 2020 mission is aimed to study the red planet's climate, geology and also collect samples and return to Earth. The rover will also search for microbial life.
"As we get ready to launch this historic Mars mission, we want everyone to share in this journey of exploration," said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.
"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."
Those who register their names get a souvenir boarding pass and "frequent flyer" points.
To submit your names, you can visit the below mentioned page.
https://mars.nasa.gov/participate/send-your-name/mars2020
More than 2 million names were sent on NASA's InSight mission to Mars and about 1.1 million names were installed on NASA's Parker Solar Probe.
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