In a rare move, NASA is extending a unique opportunity to the public to have their names fly to the lunar surface aboard the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER), as per a statement by the space agency.
As part of the “Send Your Name with VIPER” campaign, space enthusiasts worldwide can now be a part of history by sending their names before the deadline on March 15, 2024.
Nicola Fox, Associate Administrator of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, reportedly expressed the important of the moon mission, stating, “With VIPER, we are going to study and explore parts of the Moon’s surface no one has ever been to before – and with this campaign, we are inviting the world to be part of that risky yet rewarding journey.”
NASA’s “Send Your Name with VIPER” website not only allows participants to submit their names but also offers the chance to create and download a virtual boarding pass as a memento of their involvement in this historic mission.
Social media users are encouraged to share their excitement using the hashtag #SendYourName, as per the space agency.
Daniel Andrews, VIPER’s project manager at NASA’s Ames Research Center, stressed the rover’s groundbreaking role, stating, “Our VIPER is a game-changer. It’s the first mission of its kind, expanding our understanding of where lunar resources could be harvested to support a long-term human presence on the Moon.”
Scheduled for a late 2024 delivery to the lunar surface by Astrobotic Technologies’ Griffin Mission One, VIPER is set to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The rover, a part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative under the Artemis program, will endure a roughly 100-day mission to gather crucial data about lunar ice and potential resources.
(With inputs from agencies)
