UpLift Aerospace and Sphotonix to Send Thousands of Human Messages to the Moon

UpLift Aerospace and Sphotonix have partnered to preserve more than 3,200 messages from students, educators, and community members inside a 5D Memory Crystal that will travel to the Moon aboard Astrolab’s FLIP rover later this year.The 5D Memory Crystal, created by advanced optical storage specialists, SPhotonix, has been engineered using cutting-edge laser-etching technology. The crystal has been created with 3,237 messages collected by Uplift Aerospace, a global education, research, and workforce development organization. Uplift has gathered messages from students, teachers, community members, and a small group of visionary leaders, to capture who we are as humanity at this moment in time for future generations. 

Thanks to the crystal’s durability and ability to withstand the pressures and atmospheric conditions of a rocket launch, SPhotonix is quickly becoming the chosen partner for data in space projects having been involved in a number of missions to date. The circular crystals are 2.5cm in diameter and just 2mm thick with the capacity to hold up to 8GB of text and imagery.

The crystal was integrated on Astrolab’s FLEX rover in February, along with a mission patch and artwork designed by Dr. Sian Proctor, a geoscientist, astronaut, artist and author. The rover and its payloads will travel to the Moon later this year as part of Astrobotic’s Griffin Mission One. This particular mission patch will be among the first mission patches to return to the Moon since the Apollo era. Once in place, the crystal and other assets will remain on the Moon, preserved for potentially billions of years.

Designed for durability and to endure extreme conditions, 5D Memory Crystal storage, also known as “Superman memory crystal,” uses revolutionary storage technology and femtosecond laser writing to permanently record digital data in silica glass. The information is recorded in structural modifications within fused quartz glass, one of the most chemically and thermally durable materials on Earth. The discs can withstand fire and temperatures of up to 1000deg C making it the ideal material to place on the Moon. 

“By sending student and community messages to the Moon, we’re creating a lasting snapshot of humanity’s hopes, ideas, and perspectives. For the rest of their lives, these students will be able to look at the Moon and know their projects and messages are physically there. Inspiring a gen to engage in a new age of space exploration,” said Josh Hanes, CEO, Uplift Aerospace.

“This collaboration brings together education, advanced storage and lunar mobility. By bringing together partners like Uplift and SPhotonix, we’re showing how lunar infrastructure can support exploration, along with the preservation of human legacy beyond our planet,” said Jaret Matthews, CEO and founder, Astrolab.

“Our 5D Memory Crystals are built to survive extreme conditions, making them perfectly suited for the Moon. This mission goes beyond durability – it’s about preserving humanity itself. Together with Uplift and Astrolab, we’re using the very latest technology and innovation to create a lasting record of who we are today, ensuring it can be discovered far into the future for gens to come,” said Ilya Kazansky, CEO, SPhotonix.