Penn State students, faculty, staff, and alumni are invited to share messages of hope that will be included aboard a mission to the moon.

The Hope Moonshot, presented by the Readiness Institute at Penn State and Global Moonshots in Education, will launch in the second half of 2021. Following a turbulent year, the researchers feel we could use a bit of hope heading into the new year.

Penn Staters can submit their hopes through an online form by January 22. The submission is free for all participants.

The hopes and well-wishes will be saved to an SD card and placed in a storage capsule sent to the moon’s surface by Astrobotic, a Pittsburgh-based space robotics company.

“Our mission at Global Moonshots in Education is to enable every person to reach their fullest potential. The RI at Penn State Hope Moonshot is the canvas for students to contemplate what reaching their fullest potential means to them, to their community, and to the world,” Esther Wojcicki, CEO and founder of Global Moonshots in Education, said. “I am excited about this opportunity and think it will help many people in this difficult time we are facing.”

Participants will receive mission updates, images, and will have the option to attend a virtual launch party.

The mission was inspired by the challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic, and the Readiness Institute wants to help foster hope among people around the world.

“Community and future readiness begin with hope. If our hopes can make it to the moon, then our hopes can become true on Earth,” Justin Aglio, senior director for the RI at Penn State, said. “The collaboration established for this project exemplifies that hope is not an isolated expectation, but a global desire that emphasizes the importance of working together — not in silos.”