NASA is working hard on the upcoming Mars 2020 rover, and the space agency is quite proud of its effort. Millions of people are invited to join the initiative at a symbolic level, giving them the chance to submit their name, which will be etched on the silicon chips sported by the rover.
Mars 2020 will feature advanced tools to study the Red Planet
If everything goes as expected NASA will launch the rover in July 2020, with an estimated launch landing date of February 2021. This rover will play an important role in the plan to send a crewed mission to Mars at one point in the future. The device will feature advanced tools which can survey and obtain more information about the climate and geological aspects of the planet.
The Mastcam-Z will be able to deliver impressive images of the planet and the ability to zoom in on points of interest. A set of sensors known under the name of MEDA ( Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer) will be able to measure wind direction and speed, temperature, humidity and the size of the dust particles which can be found in the atmosphere.
Send your name to Mars engraved on Mars 2020 rover
Besides having their names engraved in a piece of the rover, those who opt to participate will receive a souvenir boarding pass. A specialized division within NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory will employ a powerful electron beam to engrave the names submitted by the public. The size of the name will be quite small, measuring less than the width of a human hair.
This means that NASA could place up to one million names on a chip which is on par with the size of a dime. Several chips will be placed under a strong glass cover on the rover. The InSight Lander carries a similar set, and more than two million names are present on the device. Those who wish to join the initiative can submit their names by accessing the official website.
