The Immortality Drive is a large memory device which was taken to the International Space Station in a Soyuz spacecraft on October 12, 2008. The Immortality Drive contains fully digitized DNA sequences of a select group of humans, such as physicist Stephen Hawking, comedian and talk show host Stephen Colbert, Playboy model Jo Garcia, game designer Richard Garriott,[1] fantasy authors Tracy Hickman and Laura Hickman, pro wrestler Matt Morgan, and athlete Lance Armstrong.[2] [3] The microchip also contains a copy of George's Secret Key to the Universe, a 2007 children's book authored by Stephen Hawking and his daughter, Lucy.
The intent of the Immortality Drive is to preserve human DNA in a time capsule, in case some global cataclysm should occur on Earth.
The Immortality Drive was featured in History Channel's Life After People, first-season episode "The Bodies Left Behind".
Players from the video game Tabula Rasa were also selected to be among the list of people to get their DNA Launched into Space. These players were randomly selected from those that have logged into Tabula Rasa throughout Operation Immortality's duration, which ended on Sept. 29, 2008.
Ryan GerdesHull, GA
Jesse MooreSpringfield, MO
Matthew DeLuciaFultondale, AL
Christopher StuckeyAtlanta, GA
Benjamin SchrammBakersfield, CA
Shane WoodfordHampden, ME
Randall Strye, JrMount Pleasant, MI
Jason Van EssSalem, OR
Christopher GrabowskiNorth Port, FL
Jolyn BarreutherCouncil Bluffs, IA
Kelvin MaloneHouston, TX
James NobleLas Vegas, NV
Troy HiebHermantown, MN
Shannon LayneCheyenne, WY
Adam DavisDallas, TX
Jacob VanStonePuyallup, WA
Walter BratcherOcala, FL
Jed JohnsonSauk Rapids, MN
Robert SuttonBeaumont, TX
Steven ToddHuntsville, AL
Erik FinchAustin, TX
Byron JohnsonManor, TX
Rolf WeberGlendale, AZ