ESA's ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter has sent a 'mock' signal from Mars as part of the agency's ground-breaking project called 'A Sign in Space.' The encoded message was transmitted on May 24 at 9 pm IST, sparking worldwide curiosity and excitement about the possibility of contact with extra-terrestrial civilizations.
Daniela de Paulis, the artist behind the project, expressed the profound impact such an encounter would have on humanity, stating, "Receiving a message from an extra-terrestrial civilization would be a profoundly transformational experience for all humankind." The ESA's spacecraft has been diligently orbiting the Red Planet since October 2016, diligently searching for signs of biological or geological activity.
The message was initially sent to the spacecraft's mission control centre in Darmstadt, Germany, on May 10 before being stored in its memory, converted into telemetry data, and transmitted back to Earth. The content of the message has been kept under lock and key, prompting the public and experts from diverse cultures and countries to participate in decoding and interpreting it.
The ESA has called upon individuals who have successfully cracked the message to submit their interpretations, scientific data, thoughts, sketches, drawings, and technical decoding ideas to the agency. Contributions will be shared on the project's website and associated social media platforms, allowing the world to witness the captivating process of decoding and interpreting the enigmatic message.
The project's website hosts a dedicated page outlining the submission process for the decoded message from Mars. This initiative aims to engage people from all walks of life in the thrilling endeavour of deciphering a potential message from an extra-terrestrial civilization and comprehending its significance.