Over 1.3 lakh Indians ‘book ticket’ to Mars
More than 1.3 lakh Indian space enthusiasts have submitted their names to NASA to be carried to Mars onboard the US space agency’s mission to the red planet next year. Last month, NASA invited members of the public to send their names which will be carried on the InSight (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) mission to Mars.
Those who submitted their names were provided online ‘boarding passes’ for the mission. The names are being etched on a silicon wafer microchip using an electron beam to form letters with lines one- thousandth the diameter of a human hair. The chip is affixed to the InSight lander deck and will remain on Mars forever.
Credit: livemint.com