If you had the opportunity to send one object into space, what possession would you choose to immortalize? Emily Briere is working to achieve what humans have dreamed of since antiquity: a mission to Mars. At just 23 years old, Briere is the leading figure of the space endeavor to send a time capsule to the red planet. The aerospace engineering student is working with other colleagues from colleges across the country. Emily is passionate about the movement of young adults working together and initiating change for a meaningful cause.
This is why only students are permitted to do hands-on work on the project. The mission will use a CubeSat satellite the size of two cereal boxes and, ideally, the launch will take place just three to five years from now.
The digital time capsule will contain media downloaded with photos, videos, and audio contributed by millions of people. The goal is to include a variety of content that spans every country and represents every culture.
This is the only way to capture a truly accurate depiction of the earth as it is today. Emily would like to convey the message that this is a mission for everyone. She views the journey to Mars as one that envelopes all of humanity, not just the interests of a single company or country. The project is expected to be the largest crowd-funded effort in history.
Since Emily herself is fulfilling her childhood aspirations, she recognizes the importance of young people to have dreams and ask questions. Children have the opportunity to upload pictures to the capsule, trace its journey through space, and view the landing of their picture on Mars. Students aged K through 12 will be able to access an online, personalized curriculum-based mission control. The interactive aspect of the mission is intended to spark new excitement about exploration and discovery amongst the young generation.
“In an age where tiny pixels make up the portrait and where the most obvious questions seem to be forgotten, maybe the impact of adolescence isn’t light years away and maybe we don’t have to first ‘grow up’ to 
let childhood define our future,” says Briere in her keynote speech at the prestigious National Space Club. This project is not just about the rocket science. This is an initiative to remind people why space travel is so important in the first place.
In these times, it is easy to get lost in the complexities of the technology and the formulaic equations that construct each piece and part of the machinery. However, the leaders of this project strive to refocus the global perspective on space travel. Sending a time capsule to Mars is about taking a leap towards mankind’s collective future in the universe. “It is meant to inspire anyone. To be an astronaut, a scientist, a colonist.”
As a species, mankind is at the brink of the first interplanetary habitation. Think about how we want to document our society and characterize our culture. What message will we send to future generations hundred of years from now when they look back to learn about our ideas and aspirations? The mission is designed to be small enough so that people everywhere can contribute, but monumental in it’s significance. This is the type of project that will someday be displayed in a Smithsonian museum, possibly one on Mars, to document just how far we have come. We are looking outward to the final frontier and inward to the heart of our society to unite people together and create our own legacy.
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