NASA program allows names on spacecraft; alumnus submitted Rufus to be on board.
One small step for Rufus. One giant leap for mascot-kind.
Come December, Ohio University’s feline mascot Rufus the Bobcat will apparently go down in history as the first collegiate mascot in space.
Michael Massa, an OU grad from 1982 sent in Rufus’ name to NASA as part of it’s “Send your name to Mars” program. According to NASA’s website, nearly one million names were submitted online since the program began.
“Actual submitted names will literally be flown on board the upcoming craft,” Massa said. “So I figured, what the heck, I'll submit my favorite university mascot for an official boarding pass — and Rufus' name will be included on all future missions.”
The space agency’s Orion spacecraft is scheduled to launch on Dec. 4, according to the agency’s website, and will orbit the earth twice before the craft falls back to earth and lands in the Pacific Ocean.
Names aboard this vessel will not only fly on that specific mission but will also be on future flights into space, including upcoming missions to Mars.
“NASA is pushing the boundaries of exploration and working hard to send people to Mars in the future,” said Mark Geyer, NASA’s Orion Program manager, in a written statement on NASA’s website. “When we set foot on the Red Planet, we'll be exploring for all of humanity. Flying these names will enable people to be part of our journey.”
The deadline to submit names and receive a virtual boarding pass for Orion’s first test mission is Oct. 31, but people can continue to submit names for future missions. Anyone can send names in for the mission up until this date.
Both NASA and the Ohio University Athletics office were not immediately available for comment.
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