Carl Sagan, a famous astronomer and science advocate, recorded a special message for future astronauts who might one day step foot on Mars.

Sagan believed exploring Mars was important for many reasons, like understanding our own planet better, searching for signs of life, and just because it’s cool.

Sagan starts the message, “I’m Carl Sagan. This is a place where I often work in Ithaca, New York, near Cornell University. Maybe you can hear, in the background, a 200-foot [60-meter] waterfall, right nearby, which is probably – I would guess – a rarity on Mars, even in times of high technology.”

The recording was sent to Mars in 2008 on NASA’s Phoenix lander, thanks to The Planetary Society, which Sagan helped start.

It’s stored on a special DVD designed to last a long time on Mars’s surface, preserving Sagan’s message for potentially thousands of years.

You can listen to the entire message here:

So, while Carl Sagan couldn’t go to Mars himself, his message will remain there, welcoming future explorers with his trademark blend of science and wonder.

Who knows, maybe one day Martians will stumble upon it and wonder who this Sagan guy was and why he wanted to join them on their red planet.

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