WASHINGTON (CNN) -- When the crew of the space shuttle Discovery blasts into orbit on December 11, it will carry the signatures of more than 500,000 elementary and middle school students -- representing every state in the United States and more than a dozen countries -- who participated in the Space Day '99 Student Signatures in Space program.

More than 500 schools received Embrace Space posters for their students to sign, along with supporting videos, educational materials and Space Day memorabilia, according to Space Day officials. The posters were then photographed and the negatives will accompany STS-103, a nine-day mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope. Following the flight, the original posters will be returned to the schools along with an official NASA certification verifying that the signatures flew in space.

Now in its fourth year, the latest Signatures in Space project will include Braille signatures for the first time.

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