Send Your Name To Mars On Orion

I know how we here at ATS love all things space related, so I had no choice but to share this when I ran across it. Some of you may really be interested in doing this just because...

If you can't go to Mars, well... You can send your name to Mars. A proxy, if you will.

Your name will travel onboard Orion.



I know some might find it silly, but I find it kind of neat. I'll post the links for you at the bottom of this post for anyone who might be interested.

Face it. You're never going to Mars. But you can send your name. On a thumbnail-sized microchip. Along with more than a million other names.

No, it's not the same, but it's a way of staking a claim to a teeny, tiny place in space history.

"We did something similar for Curiosity’s mission and have done so for other Mars missions as well," NASA spokeswoman Rachel Kraft told the Los Angeles Times.

NASA's Orion spacecraft will test critical systems in its first flight in December 2014.

For Curiosity's mission more than a million names were submitted, she said. The total this time was pushing 300,000 as of early Thursday. But on Orion, Earthlings' names won't be without company, if things go according to plan. NASA plans for Orion to carry astronauts farther than they've gone before, including to an asteroid and Mars.

While you're back here on Earth, here's the fun your name will have:

On Dec. 4 is Orion's first flight, a 4½-hour test mission around Earth. Then, according to NASA, the microchip packed with names will fly on future NASA flights and missions to Mars.

"All names submitted will fly on Orion and accrue miles as part of the 'frequent flier' campaign," Kraft said.

You have to apply for your virtual boarding pass for Orion's test flight by Oct. 31.

You can apply for your virtual boarding pass here: mars.nasa.gov...

You can read more here: www.latimes.com...

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

Thanks for the link Kanga!
I put mine and my kids names on the Curiosity rover when it went up and so I will do the same for this one.
Still got the pictures of the certificates.

I'm curious. I haven't been reading too much about it. If I'm already a member of The Planetary Society, is my name already on the microchip? I read JPL put our names on a number of chips.

I think it's cool to have your name on Mars even if some space alien would need an electron microscope to read it.

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

Just signed up! This is so cool.

I also "purchased tickets" for my nieces and nephews, though it would make a neat Christmas present.

S&F this is way cool thanks for sharing this!!! I just signed up will have to sign the kids up too they love everything space related just like me!

a reply to: ShadowLink

You are more than welcome ShadowLink!

That could definitely become a family tradition. I had no clue they did stuff like that until just now. I figured if I didn't know, maybe others didn't either. It's kind of neat I think. I'm on my way to sign up now.

originally posted by: orionthehunter
I'm curious. I haven't been reading too much about it. If I'm already a member of The Planetary Society, is my name already on the microchip? I read JPL put our names on a number of chips.

I think it's cool to have your name on Mars even if some space alien would need an electron microscope to read it.

Thats a good question, but not one I can find an answer to unfortunately. You could always add it again just to be on the safe side. You could go twice...

I agree that it's pretty cool.

originally posted by: Mrs.Peony
a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

Just signed up! This is so cool.

I also "purchased tickets" for my nieces and nephews, though it would make a neat Christmas present.

Absolutely! I think it would do well for a gift.

Definitely not something everyone would be getting and not the same old gift card or pair of socks lol.

originally posted by: Shana91aus
S&F this is way cool thanks for sharing this!!! I just signed up

will have to sign the kids up too they love everything space related just like me!

Awesome!! I'm glad I am not the only geek here that thought it was just something kind of different and pretty nifty.

that's pretty neat. but, i can see it now, some martian dude stole identities of everyone and charged a bunch of stuff to their charge cards.

I did this but I like my anonymity here so will not be posting my boarding pass

But thank you

Korg.

originally posted by: thishereguy
that's pretty neat. but, i can see it now, some martian dude stole identities of everyone and charged a bunch of stuff to their charge cards.

I was actually thinking earlier how we all joke about being on "a list"... Maybe all of our names would be on an extraterrestrial "list" lol.

Paranoia... You can't escape it!

originally posted by: Korg Trinity
I did this but I like my anonymity here so will not be posting my boarding pass

But thank you

Korg.

I don't blame you a bit. The boarding pass in the OP is not mine...

I enjoy my anonymity as well.

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

Cool...thanks for the links!

Are they sending the name so aliens can abduct us?

I enjoy my anonymity to.

originally posted by: Vasa Croe
a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

Cool...thanks for the links!

You are very welcome.

originally posted by: Agent_USA_Supporter
Are they sending the name so aliens can abduct us?

I enjoy my anonymity to.

I can neither confirm nor deny...

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

Thats pretty cool, thanks for the heads up. My name is now entered along with my soon to be child's name.

Now we don't know what we are having, but I submitted the boys name we have selected. Hopefully when future man finds these names they can correct an errors from the past..... like guaranteeing that I have a boy since that what the historical records will show.

Please time travelers gimme that boy

I wonder if they would put my internet handle on Mars???


---Darkblade was here---




I went and put my real name, but wish I could put internet handle...
My name is going to Mars!!!
lol

OK -- so if I read this correctly, my name will NOT be going to Mars on an Orion spacecraft anytime real soon.

The first flight in which my name will participate will be in December, and is just an Earth-orbit-and-return flight (not Mars). Orion's next scheduled test flight (with my name on board) will be in 2017, and will be an unmanned trip around the moon (not Mars). But that's still cool.

However, there is yet no scheduled flight that Orion (and my name) will be taking to Mars. At least not yet.

Having said that, even though this microchip with my name will not be going to Mars any time soon, it's still something that I will gladly do. I think it's a great idea that this isn't only for a chance for my name to take a trip to mars (maybe, eventually), but it's a chance for my name to be on every flight of the Orion program.

Rack up those frequent flyer miles!

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

Awesome!! I'm glad I am not the only geek here that thought it was just something kind of different and pretty nifty.

Definitely not the only one! My kids think its awesome aswell & my 7yr old one has decided she is taking the printed out boarding pass with her name to school for news next week, the smallest things excite little kids! Lol.

I wouldn't do it. It's probably just a scam operated by a Martian identity theft ring. When you see a charge on your VISA for a illudium Q-36 explosive space modulator from ACME, don't say I didn't warn you.

a reply to: VictorVonDoom
That I don't have to worry about..
Just got my "boarding-pass", and on my screen I see my name written in cat-size letters..misspelled. So from december I'll be travelling in space on a microchip with my own name spelled wrong..
Well done, earthling.

a reply to: puolikuu

Your luck sounds about like mine!!! I guess something is better than nothing though lol.

a reply to: Shana91aus

the smallest things excite little kids! Lol.

And grown men!

Thanks kanga, this is awesome!

FREAKING WEIRD. My Captcha was my middle name + something else.