My name has already traveled to Mars, which I think is pretty amazing, and now I'm sending it to an asteroid. Thanks to NASA and The Planetary Society, my name will travel to asteroid Bennu, spend 500 days there and then return to Earth. However, my name will also stay in space with the spacecraft that went to the asteroid.
Something about having my name in space is very satisfying. It's not that my name can send me any photos or texts to tell me what it's seeing. It's not that I might get the best postcard ever. It's more a feeling of joining the push to get Out There, the quest to understand what's beyond our planet, our solar system, our galaxy. I've put my stamp of approval on the quest, telling anyone or anything that happens upon the spacecraft in some distant future that I want to see farther. My home planet has a lot going for it, but I want to know what else there is. Since NASA hasn't yet come knocking at my door with an invitation to travel out there myself, I send my name instead.
After the launch in 2016, I can close my eyes and imagine I'm out there with my name, soaring through the darkness toward a new perspective.
If you'd like your name to join mine, here is where you can sign up:
http://www.planetary.org/get-involved/messages/bennu/ If you don't want emails from The Planetary Society, be sure to uncheck the box. When I signed up, I got a cool certificate that I can save and print.
Let's go exploring!
No comments:
Post a Comment