Now, get your name flown to Mars: Here's how
What's the story
We all hope to colonize Mars in the future, perhaps in the next 100 years. But, until that future comes to fruition, the best can one do is to send robotic missions to the planet, along with signs of human existence. Now, that's exactly what NASA is doing, calling people to have their names flown to Mars. Here's how you can send yours.
Opportunity
NASA flying names on Mars 2020 rover
NASA is planning to send a rover to the Red Planet as part of its Mars 2020 mission. The project will see the rover carry a number of scientific instruments, including a microchip etched with the names of hundreds of millions of Earthlings. The space agency has been collecting names for a year, and is expected to launch them in July 2020.
Last date
September 30 is the last day to send names
That said, it is worth noting that September 30 is the last date of name submission. This means, if you haven't submitted your name yet, there is not much time left to do so. Also, once you submit your name, NASA will provide faux 'Mars 2020' boarding pass showing that your name will be flying through the darkness of space to the Red Planet.
Steps
How to submit the name for Mars 2020 rover?
To have your name flown to Mars, head over to this page (https://mars.nasa.gov/participate/send-your-name/mars2020) and submit basic details like name, country, postal code, and email address. Next, click on 'Fly My Name To Mars' to confirm the submission and get the boarding pass showing that your name is going to the Red Planet. You could also download the pass and share it with friends.
Mission
Mars 2020 rover will look for signs of ancient life
After reaching Mars in 2021, NASA's rover will explore a crater called Jezero. It will then start conducting scientific studies, including surface studies indicating ancient geological processes on the planet as well as the possibility of ancient microbial life. It will hunt for bio-signatures that may have been preserved in the Martian surface billions of years ago.