The initiative is part of the agency’s unmanned Artemis I mission, the first in the Artemis program to eventually return astronauts to the Moon.
It’s free to add your name to a flash drive, said NASA spokeswoman Kathryn Hambleton.
“We hope this is a way to excite people, uplift them and inspire the next generation, the generation of Artemis,” Hambleton said.
For this particular mission, a flash drive should be packed onto the spacecraft about a month before the launch date, which will determine how long NASA will accept applications, she said.
Hambleton said a launch date has not been announced, but the space agency is setting a date in May or June. She added that NASA plans to announce more details of the launch date in the coming weeks.
Since applications opened earlier this month, NASA has already received more than 1 million nominations, according to Hambleton.
“We hope to maintain that momentum just over a week ago (…) to collect more names and generate more enthusiasm from people around the world who will be on the move virtually,” she said.
Artemis I. Mission
This first Artemis mission, which will not carry any humans, will test NASA’s latest deep space exploration systems.
The Orion spacecraft will launch on the world’s most powerful rocket from Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Once the spacecraft completes its orbit around the Moon, Orion will attempt to land safely off the coast of Baja California, Mexico.
When the spacecraft returned to Earth, it traveled more than 1.3 million miles (2,092,147 kilometers), according to NASA.
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Evan McKenzie is a contributor at Vaughantoday.ca, covering a wide range of topics including local news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. He focuses on clear, balanced reporting that helps readers stay informed about current events and issues that matter to their communities. His work aims to provide useful information, timely updates, and relevant stories presented in an accessible and reader-friendly way.