How would you like to go to Mars?
If you’re 12 years old, by the time you’re old enough to become an astronaut, you’ll be old enough to go on the expected first manned flight
But for now, anyone who wants to go to Mars has to just dream about it.
But thanks to NASA, no matter how old you are, you can send your name to Mars.
As a story at C-Net puts it, the space agency is giving regular people a chance to send their name -- etched onto a microchip -- on the Mars 2020 mission. Not only that, but if you get your John Hancock etched into the spacecraft that flies to Mars, you'll also rack up "frequent flyer" points and a souvenir boarding pass to show off to your Earth mates.
You see NASA and the folks the Jet Propulsion Laboratory up the freeway a piece in Pasadena are right now getting ready to launch NASA's Mars 2020 mission.
It’s one of those un-manned rovers that have been sent there before and this one has the same mission; to collect samples and search for signs of micro-organisms.
The plan is to launch the next rover to Mars in July of next year with a landing on the red planet in February of 2021 when you can then look up at Mars in the night sky and know that your name is on a microchip sitting on the surface of the planet.
To get your name on the list for the Mars 2020 flight, you can sign up at NASA's website until Sept. 30th.
GO HERE for link to NASA website sign up page.
(Photo credit Getty Images)