Through the "Send Your Name to Mars" campaign, the National Aeronautics and Space Association (NASA) of the US invited people from all over the world to submit their names, resulting in a total of 10,932,295 submissions. These names are recorded on three fingernail-sized chips mounted on the Mars 2020 rover, Perseverance, which now resides on the surface of Mars. NASA leverages its missions to actively engage the public, raising interest and enthusiasm for space exploration.

Prerequisites:

• Presence of dedicated public outreach teams or personnel.

• Established networks with media, educational institutions, and science museums

Cost:

• Ballpark: USD 50k–500k (depending on scope: small outreach campaign vs national programme)

• Includes: development of communication strategy and branding, production of multimedia content (TV, radio, online, VR/AR), organisation of outreach events (lectures, exhibitions, science festivals), astronaut and scientist public engagement tours, partnerships with schools and universities, evaluation of public awareness and STEM interest

Timeframe:

• Overall: 6–24 mo

• Phase: scoping & strategy design (2–4 mo), content and campaign development (3–6 mo), rollout of outreach activities (6–12 mo), evaluation and reinforcement (3–6 mo)

Pros:

• Promotes STEM Education and Youth Engagement - Space exploration stories inspire students and encourage pursuit of science and engineering careers.

• Boosts National Pride and Scientific Image - Visible achievements enhance national pride and improve the nation’s reputation in science and technology.

Considerations:

• Requires Sustained Efforts to Maintain Public Engagement - Public interest in space can fade without ongoing, engaging communication and visible progress.