The idea of space travel has captivated humanity for centuries. Today, the wealthy are paying small fortunes to sign up to be able to travel into space. Now, your Tabula Rasa character can head into the great beyond - for free.

In October, Tabula Rasa creator Richard Garriott will visit the International Space Station, and he's taking the Immortality Drive with him to launch into orbit. The Immortality Drive is a digital time capsule uploaded with the DNA of various space afficianados and video game players, and you could be one of them. Every character active in Tabula Rasa as of September 2, 2008, will be uploaded to the drive to make the trip as well. But that's not all; each week, 8 lucky players will be chosen to have their own DNA digitalized and added to the disk.

In order to allow everyone to be part of this great journey, Tabula Rasa is offering

"I've been able to do some very exciting things in the games business, but nothing of this magnitude," said Garriott, executive producer for Tabula Rasa at NCsoft. "I'm thrilled we can offer the once in a lifetime chance to millions of gamers to virtually go to space with me. A select few will have their DNA digitized and sent. And, theoretically, if anything happens to the human race, it could be their DNA that is used to resurrect humanity."

Starting today and lasting through August 31, 2008, anyone with a PC and an Internet connection can go to http://www.OperationImmortality.com and participate in weekly polls on humanity's greatest achievements which will be included on the Immortality Drive, such as "What is the greatest song of all time?" and "What is the greatest technological breakthrough of all time?" Current Tabula Rasa players, or those who download and play the free trial, will also be able to enter a personal message for inclusion on the Drive.

"This is your chance to leave your mark," says Garriott. "While everyone can participate in the polls at OperationImmortality.com, Tabula Rasa players will be the only gamers in the universe who can say that a piece of them is in space, since we're sending their in-game alter-egos, and for some, their DNA, to space with me."