DEHRADUN: These two sisters were fortunate enough to score online boarding passes to Mars. Shivani Mishra (26) and Himani Mishra (22) had their names carried across the globe by the Perseverance rover which landed on the Red planet on Friday.
Their names were included in a microchip along with 10.9 million others from across the world, that was sent in the rover by National Aeronautical Space Agency (NASA) to Mars.
Shivani, the older sister who is researching the effects of cosmic rays on the earth's various facets said, "We are absolutely thrilled. Our happiness knew no bounds when we got to know that we are among the fortunate whose names will be carried to the Mars."
The agency in 2019 had invited applications, which they applied to. Following this, online boarding passes were issued to both the sisters.
Himani, an ardent fan of George Orwell, has completed MSc in Physics and is set to join research following the footsteps of her sister. She said, "The landing of the Perseverance is another giant leap for the mankind. We hope that one day living on Mars will be a reality."
Daughters of an associate professor in a government degree college of Haldwani, the duo had an academic bend of kind from the start.
Santosh Mishra, who is an associate professor of Hindi in Motiram Baburam Postgraduate College, Haldwani in Nainital district said, "My daughters were always encouraged to have scientific temper and prove things before blindly believing or trusting. Our Constitution also enshrines the spirit of promoting scientific temper. As a parent we should be doing that only."
The sisters have also uploaded a Youtube video explaining how one can send their names for upcoming Mars mission too.
This is the fourth Rover to land in the Red Planet. Spirit, Opportunity and Curiosity were previous rover missions to the Red Planet