'May ganun, Mars': Philippines leads names submissions for future Mars mission
MANILA, Philippines (Updated 9:01 p.m.) — The Mars 2020 Perseverance rover is set to be launched this evening, bringing with it almost 11 million people who will "join" the flight to the red planet via three silicon chips carrying their names.
NOW BOARDING: I’m ready to fly; are you? Grab your boarding pass and let’s go. #CountdownToMars
— NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover (@NASAPersevere) July 29, 2020
Get your boarding pass: https://t.co/6xyix6gsOM
New flyer? Send your name on a future mission: https://t.co/i1GsSnsFWf pic.twitter.com/GZkMljSB7Q
Of the 10,932,295 submitted names ticking off the #CountdownToMars, the Philippines ranks 23rd with 69,995 names joining the mission.
The country currently ranks first, however, for a future Mars mission with over 500,000 names submitted as of writing, beating more populated countries like the United States and Brazil.
UPDATE: Watch the liftoff of the Mars-bound NASA Perseverance Rover
For interested Filipinos who missed the chance to sign up for the Mars 2020 mission and fly their names on the Perseverance rover, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is already collecting names for a mid-2020's mission where a yet-to-be-identified spacecraft bound for Mars will carry the names.
“This opportunity will remain open and does not have a close date yet. A close date will be announced as the mission that will fly the names is identified. That’s a few years away, so in the meantime, tell your friends and family to sign up!” read NASA’s frequently asked questions page for the future mission.
Send your name to Mars and obtain your boarding pass here.
