NASA Opens Name Submission for Dragonfly Mission to Titan
NASA is accepting names for a microchip aboard its Dragonfly rotorcraft, set to launch in 2028 and arrive at Saturn's moon Titan in 2034.
The story in focus
NASA announced on October 29, 2026, that the public can submit names to fly aboard its Dragonfly rotorcraft to Saturn's moon Titan until 11:59 p.m. EST January 15, 2027. Names will be carried on a microchip, and participants receive a digital boarding pass.
- NASA is accepting name submissions for a microchip aboard the Dragonfly rotorcraft until January 15, 2027.
- The mission is scheduled to launch in 2028 and arrive at Titan in 2034.
- Dragonfly will fly to multiple locations on Titan to study prebiotic chemistry.
- The rotorcraft is being assembled at Johns Hopkins APL, with Elizabeth Turtle as principal investigator.
NASA Invites Public to Send Names to Titan
NASA announced on October 29, 2026, that the public can submit their names to be carried aboard the Dragonfly rotorcraft to Saturn's moon Titan. Submissions are open until 11:59 p.m. EST on January 15, 2027. Names will be placed on a microchip, and participants will receive a personalized digital boarding pass.
The agency described Dragonfly as the first science mission to fly and explore the surface of another world. The rotorcraft is currently being assembled at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland.
Mission Timeline and Science Goals
Dragonfly is scheduled to launch in 2028 and arrive at Titan in 2034. Once there, it will fly to different locations on the moon, which has a thick atmosphere, rivers and lakes of liquid methane, and dunes rich in organic material.
The mission will search for clues about prebiotic chemistry, the chemistry that preceded biology, to help scientists understand the ingredients and conditions for life. Elizabeth Turtle of APL is the principal investigator, and the mission is led by APL for NASA. Dragonfly is the fourth mission in NASA's New Frontiers Program, managed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.
How long does the public have to submit names for the Dragonfly mission?
Submissions are open until 11:59 p.m. EST on January 15, 2027, according to NASA's announcement.
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