-----
Original Message -----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, October 09,
2002 2:46 PM
To:
undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: First
Words on Mars competition
New Mars/Mars Society International
UK Contact: Adrian Hon ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
US Contact: Bill White (630-927-2014)
FIRST WORDS ON MARS COMPETITION
http://www.newmars.com/firstwords
First Words, an international competition asking people what they think the
first words on Mars will be, was launched today by the Mars Society.
Coinciding with the start of the United Nations World Space Week (October
4-10), First Words aims to raise public awareness of the possibility of
manned exploration of Mars.
Bestselling fantasy author Terry Pratchett offered up the snappy words,
"This time, let's do it right," while British Member of Parliament
Lembit
Öpik opted for a lengthier and most profound entry, "I do not stand on
this
landscape of iron, this red desert, alone, but with all mankind and all who
gazed at this Sphere of Fixed Stars and dreamed one day of touching it."
Offering five categories (Most Historic, Most Humorous, Most Original, In
Five Words and Out of Context), entrants can win over $300 in prizes. The
competition is open to all age ranges and countries.
First Words is organized by Adrian Hon, an undergraduate at Cambridge
University. "First Words offers people around the world a chance to have
fun
and think about what will be said when a human first sets foot on the
surface of Mars. The first words spoken on the Moon echoed for centuries and
inspired billions. What will the first words on Mars be?"
The Mars Society (http://www.marssociety.org) is an international non-profit
organization advocating the exploration and settlement of Mars. With a
rapidly expanding membership of over 2000 scientists, educators, space
professionals and advocates, members include many well-known personalities,
including Dr. Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11 astronaut and Dr. Geoff Briggs,
director of the Center for Mars Exploration at NASA Ames Research Center.
Find out more about the Mars Society at www.marssociety.org. Volunteers from
the New Mars magazine of the Mars Society (http://www.newmars.com) are
specifically responsible for the First Words project.
