NASA: Send Your Name to the Moon on Artemis II – Valentine’s Day Mission

For those seeking a unique Valentine’s Day gesture, NASA is offering a cosmic connection: the chance to send your name on a journey around the Moon. As part of the Artemis II mission, scheduled to launch no earlier than March 2026, names submitted through NASA’s website will be stored on an SD card aboard the Orion spacecraft.

The initiative, launched to coincide with Valentine’s Day, allows participants to receive a digital “boarding pass” secured by a self-chosen PIN, serving as proof of their inclusion on this historic flight. The deadline for submissions is February 21, 2026.

A Crewed Test Flight Pushing the Boundaries of Deep Space Exploration

This isn’t a symbolic gesture with an empty vessel. Artemis II will carry four astronauts – Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen – on a March 2026 mission designed to test critical systems for future lunar landings and, crewed missions to Mars. The 10-day flight will follow a figure-eight trajectory, swinging thousands of miles beyond the far side of the Moon before returning to Earth.

The mission’s path will take the Orion spacecraft to a maximum distance of 4,600 miles beyond the lunar surface and 230,000 miles from Earth. Upon returning to Earth, Orion will endure the intense heat of re-entry before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean, where it will be recovered by a joint NASA and Department of Defense team.

Artemis II serves as a comprehensive test of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, evaluating life support systems, navigation, deep-space communication capabilities, radiation monitoring, and the effects of prolonged exposure to the harsh environment beyond low Earth orbit. A recent hydrogen leak, however, caused a delay to the launch, pushing the mission to no earlier than March 2026.

Building on a Legacy of Public Participation

The practice of including the public in space exploration isn’t new. NASA’s Artemis I mission, an uncrewed test flight, carried millions of names, continuing a tradition that dates back to the Voyager probes. However, Artemis II marks a significant departure: for the first time in over half a century, human astronauts will carry these digital passengers past the Moon’s far side.

Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor for Orion, has embraced the Valentine’s Day theme with retro-styled space cards featuring slogans like “You make my heart takeoff.” This playful approach underscores a broader objective: to re-establish a public connection to lunar exploration during this pivotal test flight. The initiative aims to foster excitement and engagement around the Artemis program, demonstrating the tangible benefits of space exploration.

The mission’s scope extends beyond simply orbiting the Moon. The data collected during Artemis II will be crucial for refining systems and procedures for future, more ambitious missions, including establishing a sustained human presence on the lunar surface. The flight path itself is designed to gather valuable data on the lunar environment and the performance of the spacecraft in deep space.

Over 1.5 million names have already been submitted, and participants are sharing their digital boarding passes on social media. The initiative provides a unique opportunity for individuals to feel a personal connection to space exploration, becoming a part of history in a small but meaningful way.

While the symbolic gesture of sending a name to the Moon may seem small, it represents a larger effort to democratize space exploration and inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers. The mission’s success will not only pave the way for future lunar missions but also contribute to the broader goal of expanding humanity’s reach into the solar system.

For those interested in participating, the submission process is straightforward. Simply visit NASA’s Artemis II website, enter your name, and create a PIN to access your digital boarding pass. The opportunity to have your name travel around the Moon is open until February 21, 2026, offering a unique and memorable way to celebrate Valentine’s Day and participate in a historic moment in space exploration.