Send your name to the Moon: How the NASA Artemis Mission is inviting the world on a historic lunar flyby

As four astronauts prepare to journey around the Moon for the first time in more than half a century, NASA is offering the public a symbolic seat on board its landmark Artemis 2 flight. Through a simple online initiative, people around the world can send their names on the Orion spacecraft as part of the NASA Artemis mission, which is scheduled to lift off from Florida between February and April.

The Artemis 2 mission marks a major milestone in NASA’s ambitious effort to return humans to deep space and eventually establish a sustained presence on the Moon. While only four astronauts will physically make the journey, millions of names will travel alongside them, stored digitally inside the Orion capsule as it loops around Earth’s nearest celestial neighbour.

Public invited to be part of Artemis history

NASA has opened a dedicated portal inviting people to “send your name around the Moon.” Participants are asked to enter their name and create a personal pin, after which a virtual boarding pass is generated. The pass features mission details and a QR code that links to NASA’s virtual guest programme, allowing users to receive updates and behind-the-scenes information related to the NASA Artemis mission.


All submitted names will be stored on an SD card placed inside Orion for the duration of the mission, as per a report by USA Today. NASA has said that interest has been overwhelming, with more than 1.5 million people already signing up, reflecting global fascination with humanity’s return to lunar exploration.

Why the Moon matters to NASA

The Artemis programme represents NASA’s most comprehensive lunar campaign since the Apollo era ended in 1972. Unlike Apollo, which focused on brief landings, Artemis is designed with long-term goals. Over a series of missions, NASA aims to establish a continuous human presence on the Moon, particularly near its south pole.

Scientists believe this region contains significant reserves of water ice, a resource that could be converted into drinking water, breathable oxygen and even rocket fuel. Such capabilities would reduce dependence on Earth-based supplies and make deep-space missions more viable. In the long run, the Moon is expected to serve as a testing ground and launch point for the first crewed missions to Mars.

What Artemis 2 will, and won’t do

Unlike future Artemis missions, Artemis 2 will not attempt a lunar landing. Instead, it will focus on testing critical systems needed for long-duration human spaceflight. Launched atop NASA’s powerful Space Launch System rocket, Orion will carry its crew on a roughly 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth.

During the flight, the spacecraft is expected to travel about 4,700 miles beyond the far side of the Moon, pushing farther into space than any human mission before. The data gathered will be vital for refining life-support systems, navigation, communication and re-entry procedures ahead of more complex missions.

The mission follows Artemis 1, which launched in November 2022 and successfully sent Orion on an uncrewed lunar orbit, validating the spacecraft’s performance in deep space.

Meet the Artemis 2 crew

The Artemis 2 crew brings together experience and historic firsts. NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch will be joined by Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

Koch and Glover are set to become the first woman and the first African American, respectively, assigned to a NASA lunar mission. Hansen’s inclusion marks another milestone, as he will be the first Canadian astronaut to travel near the Moon. Together, the crew symbolises the international and inclusive nature of the NASA Artemis mission.

A symbolic journey for millions

While sending a name to the Moon is largely ceremonial, NASA officials say the initiative is about inspiration and connection. By inviting the public to participate, the agency hopes to spark interest in science, exploration and the future of human spaceflight.

As Artemis 2 prepares for launch, millions of names, carrying hopes, curiosity and ambition, will quietly accompany the astronauts on their historic path around the Moon, reaffirming that the next era of lunar exploration belongs not just to a few, but to the world.