With more than one million name submissions, the Philippines has emerged as the leading country with the most number of signups for the “Send Your Name to Mars” program of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
As of 9 a.m. of July 31, NASA has received 1,211,443 name submissions from the Philippines with super power the United Stated a far second with 143,201 reservations.
India, one of the world’s populous nations, lies in third with 125,741.
The total name reservations received by NASA have reached 2,215,939.
The “Send Your Name to Mars” program of NASA allows individuals around the globe to “fly” their names in its future missions to the Red Planet.
Those who wish to send their name to the Red Planet in the July, 2026, mission can sign up at mars.nasa.gov/participate/send-your-name/future.
The latest Mars mission, the Perseverance Rover, was launched on July 30 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in the US, with 10.9 million names aboard.
It is expected to land on the planet on Feb. 18, 2021.
Perseverance Rover is part of NASA’s long-term robotic exploration program of Mars.
“The mission addresses high-priority science goals for Mars exploration, including key questions about the potential for life on Mars,” NASA said.
According to NASA, the Perseverance Rover “can collect core samples of the most promising rocks and soils and set them aside in a ‘cache’ on the surface of Mars.” (Noreen Jazul)
