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Lunar Mission One \u2013 \u00a9 Lunar Mission One<\/p>\nA British-led space initiative is offering the public a chance to send their DNA and digital memories to the moon. Called Lunar Mission One, the project combines deep-space science with a unique opportunity for personal legacy, all sealed beneath the lunar surface.<\/p>\n
Unveiled in London at the Royal Society, this privately-funded mission aims to drill into the moon\u2019s south pole, deposit time capsules, and raise hundreds of millions through public contributions. Spearheaded by space consultant David Iron, it\u2019s a bold mix of space exploration and digital archiving.<\/p>\n
The mission plans to give ordinary people a literal place in space history. For a fee of around \u00a350, individuals will be able to contribute a strand of hair, containing their DNA, alongside a digital archive of their life in photos, videos, music, or writing. The broader aim is to create a long-lasting lunar archive that captures Earth\u2019s cultural and biological record. Iron\u2019s team intends this to be a scientific and personal time capsule, buried up to 20 meters beneath the lunar crust.<\/p>\n
Drilling Deeper than Apollo Ever Did<\/p>\n
The plan involves landing a robotic spacecraft at the moon\u2019s south pole, where it will drill at least 20 meters below the surface to extract core samples. This depth is unprecedented for lunar missions. As David Iron explained to the Royal Society, \u201cGetting below that top layer of the moon that Apollo looked at should give us extraordinary new data.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lunar Mission One \u2013 \u00a9 Lunar Mission One<\/p>\n
Lunar Mission One<\/a> is collaborating with the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Harwell, UK, a facility known for its work with both NASA and the European Space Agency. According to New Scientist<\/a>, the scientific part of the mission will span six months, focusing on the analysis of sub-surface materials to better understand the moon\u2019s history<\/a> and its connection to Earth.<\/p>\n Ian Crawford, the mission\u2019s chief planetary scientist from Birkbeck College, London, emphasized the novelty of the drilling approach: \u201cNo lunar or planetary mission of any kind has ever drilled to a significant depth below the surface. The deepest Apollo drill core was only 3 metres long.\u201d He added that the project will allow researchers to measure the geothermal gradient and lunar heatflow for the first time.<\/p>\n A Global Archive Buried in Space<\/p>\n After completing its scientific objectives, the mission will seal yellow time capsules inside the borehole. These will include both a public record, an archive of human civilization, history, and culture, and millions of private entries submitted by individuals.<\/p>\n According to David Iron, the project requires at least 10 million participants to meet its ambitious \u00a3500 million funding goal. The first step, however, is a Kickstarter campaign seeking \u00a3900,000 to begin design work on the spacecraft. This crowdfunding effort will kickstart the creation of a company dedicated to the mission.<\/p>\n![\"Once](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/once-the-bore-hole-has-served-its-science-purpose-a-series-of-yellow-time-capsules-will-be-dropped-i.jpeg\")
Once the bore hole has served its science purpose, a series of yellow time capsules will be dropped into the hole before it is sealed \u2013 \u00a9 Lunar Mission One<\/p>\n