A Former NASA Apollo Astronaut Will Help You Send Messages To Space

Former NASA astronaut Charles Duke is collaborating on a project that will help the public send personalized messages to space. These messages could even end up on Mars once missions to the Red Planet have begun.

Duke is famously known for serving as the lunar module pilot for NASA’s Apollo 16. Through the Apollo program, he became the 10th person to walk on the Moon.

Recently, Duke teamed up with AstroGrams, a project that lets people send messages to space. The entire concept of the project was inspired by Duke during his time on the Moon when he left behind a personal memento on the lunar surface.

“When I walked on the Moon, I took a photo of my family along and wrote a brief message on the back of the photo to leave on the Moon,” the former astronaut, said according to Universe Today.

“I wanted my family to be part of my mission and it was my way of taking them with me – to celebrate my family,” he added.

Through AstroGrams, members of the public will have the chance to send their own personal messages to space that are inscribed on a small metal plaque. According to the company, the cheapest package stars at $99.00, which involves sending the plaque on an orbital or sub-orbital flight.

Customers may also send their plaques on a round-trip expedition to the International Space Station for as low as $168.00. Aside from these, AstroGrams is also offering the chance to send messages to distant destinations such as the Moon, Mars and even Interstellar Space. These packages will be available once missions to these destinations have started.

In addition, AstroGrams is also offering free packages exclusively for pediatric patients from different countries.

“In this way, as well as encouraging interest in space, we wish to stimulate and hearten children’s spirits,” Tom O’Connor, an entrepreneur and Duke’s co-collaborator on AstroGrams, said in a statement.

“What better way to encourage them in their recovery as well as provide them a personal reason to become interested in and look forward to rocket launches,” he added.