Microchip Will Accompany Europa Clipper with Names In Tow

Members of the public are invited to add their names to the upcoming NASA Europa Clipper mission before the spacecraft heads off to the Jupiterean moon in fall of 2024.

Members of the public are invited to add their names to the upcoming NASA Europa Clipper mission before the spacecraft heads off to the Jupiterean moon in fall of 2024. 

Submitted names will be stenciled on a microchip attached to the lander, accompanied by writing from U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón and titled "In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa." To help explain the project, NASA recorded an animation and digital souvenir, which is admittedly a tad cheesy but a solid classroom activity for teachers and parents looking to foster an interest in STEM. The inscribed names will remain a part of the Clipper forever, even after it orbits Europa to be exposed to the elements for centuries to come, much like previous spacecraft sent into the ether. 

“‘Message in a Bottle’ is the perfect convergence of science, art, and technology, and we are excited to share with the world the opportunity to be a part of Europa Clipper’s journey,” said Nicola Fox, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. “I just love the thought that our names will be traveling across our solar system aboard the radiation-tolerant spacecraft that seeks to unlock the secrets of Jupiter’s frozen moon.”

“Inspiration is what fueled the people who developed this flagship mission and who hand-crafted the largest spacecraft NASA has sent to explore the solar system. It’s what drives humanity to ask the big questions that this mission will contribute to,” said Laurie Leshin, director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California, which leads the development of Europa Clipper. “Inspiration is riding along with every single name that will be making the journey to Europa.”

FMI: www.nasa.gov