The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is gearing up for a historic moment in space exploration, with the Artemis II mission set to send astronauts farther than any crew has travelled before. This groundbreaking mission is part of the agency's Artemis campaign, which aims to return humans to the Moon and prepare for crewed missions to Mars.
The Artemis II rocket is scheduled to blast off as early as February 6, with additional launch windows available later in February, March, and April.
Photo Credit: REUTERS
The crew, consisting of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, will embark on a 10-day journey around the Moon, marking the first human lunar flyby since 1972.
"This historic mission will send humans farther from Earth than ever before and deliver the insights needed for us to return to the Moon — all with America at the helm," according to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman.
And here is the exciting part: NASA is inviting people worldwide to send their names to the Moon aboard the Artemis II mission. You can register your name on NASA's website until January 21, and you'll receive a digital boarding pass as a keepsake. When the Artemis II mission lifts off, your name will be a part of the journey on an SD card tucked inside the Orion spacecraft.
In a post on X on Monday, NASA shared, “1.5 million names are flying around the Moon on Artemis II. Is yours one of them? It's not too late to add your name to the mission—and it's absolutely free.”
How to Send Your Name To The Moon
For individuals interested in obtaining their digital boarding pass, the process is designed to take less than five minutes:
- Step 1: Go to NASA's dedicated "Send Your Name with Artemis" website.
- Step 2: Enter your first and last names, as well as a 4- to 7-digit PIN code.
- Step 3: Click submit and download your customised digital boarding pass.
