It all started in 2019 when NASA invited the general public to submit their full names online for the upcoming Mars Perseverance Rover mission - scheduled for 2020. I registered without hesitation, confirming a personal achievement.
In March 2020, NASA unveiled the nameplate bearing the etched names, including yours truly, onto chips fixed on the Perseverance Mars rover. Etching my name into history alongside countless others is. Despite the global pandemic, the Perseverance Rover embarked on its seven-month journey to Mars in July 2020 - along with my name - in space history.
Fast forward to February 2021, when Perseverance Rover finally landed on Mars. It was an unforgettable moment to realize that my name had officially touched down on Mars as part of a small but significant achievement for space exploration and science.
Most people would say sending your name on one trip to Mars is enough. Not me. I have already secured my name for another future expedition to Mars, slated for 2026. Talk about etching one's name into history not once but twice!
