Get your name on Mars: 200,000 take up NASA’s offer

NASA is giving people the chance to have their names blasted to Mars on its latest spacecraft - and 200,000 have already signed up. People have until October 31 to send their names to the space agency, which will then be added to a microchip and placed on board the Orion explorer. Orion is NASA’s new spacecraft developed for crewed missions to the Moon, an asteroid and ultimately Mars. Its test flight is scheduled for December 4, with a four-hour two-orbit mission around Earth to test its systems.

NASA is pushing the boundaries of exploration and working hard to send people to Mars in the future.

Mark Geyer, Orion Programme manager

It will then travel back through the atmosphere at 20,000mph before splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. The names will continue to fly on future NASA exploration flights including its mission to Mars. Orion programme manager Mark Geyer said: “When we set foot on the Red Planet, we’ll be exploring for all of humanity. Flying these names will enable people to be part of our journey.”

Science orion