Fifty years after humanity launched the iconic Golden Record into deep space – inviting extraterrestrial life to discover who we are – a new message is preparing to make the journey.

Australians are being urged to add their voices to the cosmic archive before submissions close on February 27, 2026.

The project asks one powerful question: “What would you like the universe to remember about our story on Earth?”

More than 1700 recordings from 83 countries and in 68 languages have already been submitted since the initiative began in October last year.

The project – Humanity United with MIT Art and Nanotechnology in Space (HUMANS) – is collaborating with Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum to collect the final contributions this week.

Dr Maya Nasr, a Harvard University science engineer and the project’s lead and co-founder, said the mission went beyond the search for alien life.

“It’s not just about aliens — it’s really about forming these messages for ourselves … thinking about who we are and who we aspire to be as humanity,” she said.

Still, in a universe so vast, Nasr admits it’s statistically difficult to believe Earth is the only place where life has emerged.

Now, Australians have one final chance to decide how our planet — and our generation — will be remembered among the stars.