"Bang, zoom, straight to the moon!"

May 9, 2008 5:43 PM

NASA invites you to join this autumn's lunar exploration with the opportunity to send your name to the moon. Your name will be included in a database contained on a microchip and placed aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft. Submit your name here.

"The orbiter, comprised of six instruments and one technology demonstration, will provide the most comprehensive data set ever returned from the moon. The mission will focus on the selection of safe landing sites and identification of lunar resources. It also will study how the lunar radiation environment could affect humans.

LRO will also create a comprehensive atlas of the moon's features and resources that will be needed as NASA designs and builds a planned lunar outpost. The mission will support future human exploration while providing a foundation for upcoming science missions."

The LRO Mission [.mpg video]

Cathy Peddie, Deputy Project Manager talks about the LRO mission [embedded video]

Building the LRO [.wmv video]

posted by ericb (28 comments total)

I've always loved the idea of sending a message (even just my name) out into space. At OMSI (science museum in Portland, Oregon) they used to have this thing where you could type a message and have it broadcast from a dish on the roof out towards deep space. I used to love to write messages for aliens there and hope that someday one of them would be read... This was as a little kid, of course, but I still feel that way a little.
posted by OverlappingElvis at 6:06 PM on May 9, 2008 [2 favorites]

this is cool. also, my browser autofilled my last name. you know, 'cause i fill out forms to send my name into space all the time.
posted by snofoam at 6:09 PM on May 9, 2008

Great, so after the cosmic rays flip a few bits I can look forward to alien junk mail with my name spelled wrong. "BruthorGaine, you may have already won an all expense trip to the Gythtarik nebula!"
posted by BrotherCaine at 6:11 PM on May 9, 2008 [6 favorites]

NASA: Your name on a micro chip. Richard Milhous Nixon's on a big fucking metal plaque.
posted by wfrgms at 6:13 PM on May 9, 2008

This is an obvious attempt by aliens to farm human names for experimentation!

All your names are belong to us.
posted by ...possums at 6:13 PM on May 9, 2008 [1 favorite]

My name? In a database?? Whoa!
posted by DU at 6:27 PM on May 9, 2008

That's not an astronaut, it's a TV comedian. And he was just using space travel as a metaphor for beating his wife.
posted by grobstein at 6:33 PM on May 9, 2008 [5 favorites]

In 1945 the Nazis went to the moon. In 2018 they are coming back. With your personal info! Seriously though, this looks pretty cool. I'll be adding my neighbors name just to be safe.
posted by Sailormom at 6:42 PM on May 9, 2008

I sent Federico Garcia Lorca's name to the moon instead. This ought to pretty well cancel out Richard Nixon.
posted by flotson at 6:46 PM on May 9, 2008

I can't decide if I want to send:
Mike Rotch
or
Hugh Jass
posted by P.o.B. at 6:51 PM on May 9, 2008 [2 favorites]

If you don't send both you'll experience some discomfort.
posted by DU at 7:09 PM on May 9, 2008 [1 favorite]

Helpim Trappedinthe Orbiter
posted by griphus at 7:12 PM on May 9, 2008 [1 favorite]

Don't anyone type in goatse or anything. An alien race coming across that would either 1) declare war on us after ripping out their eyestalks, or 2) think that the Earth was populated by nothing but assholes.

_{He writes, wryly.}
posted by illiad at 7:29 PM on May 9, 2008

No I do not want my name on your space litter.
posted by cowbellemoo at 8:15 PM on May 9, 2008

I put in Alice Kramden.

Only fitting.
posted by konolia at 8:21 PM on May 9, 2008 [5 favorites]

I went with I.P. Daly
posted by philcliff at 8:52 PM on May 9, 2008

Okay, "Alice" worked, after I put in a blank space in the last name field.

To the MOON!
posted by yhbc at 9:13 PM on May 9, 2008

Out of respect: Jules Verne

Because I can: Mr. Poopypants
posted by mazola at 9:45 PM on May 9, 2008

YeS We WaNt All yOUr NaMEs oN A liST So wE KnoW wHo tO kILl fIRsT!!!
posted by pyramid termite at 9:59 PM on May 9, 2008

How disappointing. Of course NASA are scientists and wouldn't understand that people want to write a message, not their boring names for aliens to read.
Imagine if it was us receiving the messages, which list would you rather have?

"Anof Bibelroex
Tinami SZnuffl
Clod BYzeteen..."

or

"HELP, they are killing us!!!"
"Do UFO's Exist?" ...
posted by Arnolfini at 11:18 PM on May 9, 2008

I just sent my name to the moon with my mind. It was effortless. Give it a try!
posted by gum at 12:33 AM on May 10, 2008

I sent my name. Next thing you know I'm inundated with alien pokes. And not the good kind.
posted by subgear at 2:29 AM on May 10, 2008

Oh, sure - put my name in a database.

Next thing you know, I'm on the No-Launch list.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 3:42 AM on May 10, 2008

Through the stars, the vessel glided. Within its internals, slept several billion human occupants, awaiting the moment in which they would reach their new home, so many light-years away.

As the descendants of Old Earth began their first steps into the veldt in earnest, the memories of their former home were not forgotten; above the sleeper pods of the generation ship, were a series of platinum tiles, bearing the names of those who inspired the voyagers, if not their ancestors.

BARNEY RUBBLE
MONTESSORI LITTLE LEAGUE
THE HITS 97 MORNING ZOO CREW

When the immigrants to the stars reached their destination, they would not be alone, for they would carry the spirit of the personalities who stood before them.

GENERAL ELECTRIC
FRANK, IDA, SPRINKLES AND THE ENTIRE DONALDSON FAMILY
ADNY'S CAR WASH (sic)

In turn, the planet serving as the craft's destination would become the new home of the slumbering pilgrims. Earth would be a state of mind, as the surrogate would fill the role of the former, not forgotten home. The tiles would help show the way.
posted by Smart Dalek at 4:16 AM on May 10, 2008 [1 favorite]

Doesn't like Safari
posted by Gungho at 6:09 AM on May 10, 2008

Their form validation sucks. You have to have a first and last name, but a blank space is a valid last name?
posted by blue_beetle at 3:49 PM on May 10, 2008

Somewhere out there, there's a program accepting recorded or written messages to be placed on a probe to be launched in the near future. The program director has stated he'll leave messages up of any type (nice/hate/etc), I suppose, as representative of humanity. I heard it on NPR and that is all I recall. Meh. This name thing was mentioned during that article.


Ah. Found it.

Its the Kepler mission and its 500 word messages. Double spaced, size 12 font, plz.
posted by Atreides at 5:33 PM on May 11, 2008

Ooh! I'm glad possums told us about the aliens farming these names for experimentation. I almost put my name in. Now I've included possums name instead. Sorry, possums. Good luck!
posted by Spidermaster at 1:00 PM on May 12, 2008