The genetic blueprint for human life and the sum of our knowledge could be fired into the cosmic cloud to "back up humanity".

A new project called Voices of Humanity wants to build a sophisticated ground-based laser and robotic telescope.

This would allow someone's data to be encoded then transmitted via laser to any target in space.

Everything from DNA blueprints to the contents of the Library of Congress could be encoded and fired by laser.

The project's founders say that as the universe is infinite, the laser beam travelling through space means "your data will live forever in the universe, you will be immortalised".


But first, the team plans to create a custom spacecraft containing a data storage chip, which could be loaded with anything from photos and text to DNA and video.

Image: The long-term goal is to create laser-propelled spacecraft. Pic: Voices of Humanity

These would then be blasted into Low Earth Orbit, and eventually to the Moon and Mars.

Project co-founder Professor Philip Lubin, from the University of California, is seeking funding on the crowdfunding website Kickstarter.

He said: "The Voices of Humanity campaign's purpose is to give a voice to all of humanity and to immortalise those voices.

"In this way your voice will literally live forever."

Prof Lubin is also involved in Breakthrough Starshot, a $100m initiative that aims to develop the ability to laser-power tiny, sail-equipped 'wafercraft' to Alpha Centauri and other extrasolar systems.

It's not a pie in the sky idea, either: he has received two rounds of funding from the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program to develop this laser propulsion technology.

He added: "Personally, I would like to send out a blueprint for life on Earth and how to reconstruct us, how to make us."