First ever opportunity for the people of Earth to radio personal messages and pictures to Mars!

Uwingu announced today the launch of a project allowing anyone, anywhere to be a part of a global “shout out” of messages from the people of Earth to Mars this November 28th. The project, called “Beam Me to Mars,” celebrates the 50th anniversary of the launch of NASA’s Mariner 4—the first successful space mission to Mars. Mariner 4 launched on November 28th, 1964.

Messages can be as simple as a name, or can include text and even images. Anyone can send as many messages to Mars as they want, there is no limit. Pricing begins at $4.95.

Uwingu’s Beam Me transmission will be sent at a rate of 1 million bits per second to Mars on November 28th by our transmission partner, Universal Space Network.

Mariner 4 took almost 8 months to reach Mars in 1964-1965, but your 21st century messages will arrive at the speed of light—just 15 minutes after they are sent. Nothing like this has ever been previously possible for the public.

To be included in the transmission, messages and pictures must be submitted to Uwingu’s web site at www.uwingu.com by 5 November 2014.

Although no one is living on Mars yet to receive the Beam Me messages, here on Earth people will hear the messages loud and clear! The entire Beam Me message archive is searchable from Uwingu’s web site, beginning immediately, and all the Beam Me to Mars messages can be freely socially shared with friends, relatives, or anyone in your social networks.

Moreover, all Beam Me messages will be delivered by hand to Congress, to NASA, and to the United Nations on November 28th—the same day the messages are sent to Mars.

“We’re extremely excited about this!” said Uwingu CEO and planetary scientist Dr. Alan Stern, “Come and celebrate the exploration of Mars in this very special, first of its kind 21st century social movement. What will kids and adults say to Mars, about Mars, about your hopes and dreams for the future? We’re going to find out—this is a kind of societal selfie we’re sending to Mars!”

As with all Uwingu projects, half the proceeds fuel Uwingu Fund grants to further space research, education, and exploration; the other half fuels new Uwingu projects.