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This is how you can 'travel' to the moon with NASA's Artemis II mission
NASA has invited the public to have their names travel aboard the Orion spacecraft on the first crewed Artemis II mission
NASA is offering an extraordinary opportunity for anyone who has ever dreamed of space travel, even if getting there in person is out of reach.
The agency has invited the public to join the Artemis II test flight, a mission in which four astronauts will journey around the moon and return to Earth to "test the systems and hardware required for deep space exploration."
Your name could fly on the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket alongside NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
All submitted names will be compiled on an SD memory card and loaded aboard Orion before launch, giving a small but special part of you a ride to the moon.
"Artemis II is a key test flight in our effort to return humans to the surface of the moon and develop future missions to Mars," explained Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator in the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
How to join the lunar adventure
Signing up is simple. Visit https://go.nasa.gov/YourArtemisName, enter your first name, last name and a PIN, and you are officially part of the mission. Registrants can also receive a boarding pass as a collectible keepsake.
The deadline to submit your name is January 21, 2026.
Artemis II will be the first crewed flight in NASA’s Artemis campaign, lasting approximately 10 days with a launch scheduled "no later than April 2026."
"This is another step toward new US crewed missions to the lunar surface that will help the agency prepare to send the first American astronauts to Mars," the agency stated.
This isn’t the first time NASA has invited the public to join its lunar adventures. In 2024, it offered a similar initiative when the robotic lunar rover VIPER was sent to the Moon’s south pole to "unravel the mysteries of water on the Moon and better understand the environment."
Now, with Artemis II, the chance to be part of history is open to everyone.
Also of interest: Airline changes: new routes launched and axed in Spain
Image: NASA
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The Astronomy and Science Centre Foundation has star-themed events and activities to delight novices and experts of all ages
Astronomy Tours runs a whole host of astronomical activities and events in the Murcia Region, from astronomical observation sessions to a magical cruise under the stars, to really fire up an interest in the cosmic world beyond our atmosphere.
Their main base of operations is the Finca Astronomica, located close to the town of La Aljorra in the Campo de Cartagena, where you can join their astronomy tours either in the daytime or at night, all year round.
At the Finca, you’re welcomed with delicious food, drinks, a bonfire and a variety of astronomical tools and gadgets. In the summer season, they also have tours in other locations, including San Pedro del Pinatar, La Manga and Camposol, not to mention their unmissable cruise under the stars, which involves a nighttime cruise on the Mar Menor with tapas and drinks, plus a guided presentation of the night sky as you watch the galaxy glide by.
The Astronomy Tours and the Finca Astronomica are supported by the Astronomy and Science Centre Foundation, which was founded in 2019 by a group of astronomers and Starlight-certified guides and monitors in the astronomical observatories in Spain.The purpose of the Foundation is to promote the knowledge and interest in the field of astronomy and astronomy-related sciences, which covers areas such as physics, chemistry, biology, geology, but also history, archeology, urban and medical aspects of social life, literature, art, culture and (of course) astrology.
By promoting this knowledge and getting their customers interested in astronomy, the Foundation hopes to achieve higher goals such as bringing the stars a little closer to people, and helping them to understand the importance of caring about our planet and the whole human population as a one.
To achieve those goals, the Foundation organises its day- and nighttime activities and camps which are suitable for both children and adults, and as well as this they work with 
schools and organisations and write books for children to bring astronomy to the masses.
schools and organisations and write books for children to bring astronomy to the masses.As part of this mission, they’re creating an astronomically themed park right on the Costa Cálida called the Astronomy and Science Centre which has an observatory available to the public to see the stars and the planets, and where they also promote ecofriendly and sustainable activities and closeness to nature.
The Finca Astronomica even has its own friendly and well cared for animals which live in really big spaces where people can easily enter and interact with them in their own environment.
What’s more, you can get involved in all sorts of other fun and activities for all the family at the Finca Astronomica, including glamping under the stars, stroking the animals at their petting zoo and enjoying sports like darts, archery, nerf gun fights, and many more.
This year, Finca Astronomica is excited to unveil its very own Yurt Village. Alongside the beautifully crafted wooden glamping pods, the yurts combine traditional charm with all the modern comforts including double beds, cosy carpets and plenty of shelving for your personal belongings.
But that’s not all. Each yurt comes handily equipped with light and electricity, so that you can charge your devices even as you recharge your spirit under the vast, starry sky.
This summer season is about to come alive with regular tours happening three days a week, while Adult Only Fridays are just around the corner.
Tours are available in English, Spanish and Polish.
