The countdown is on! Nasa’s Mars 2020 Rover is beginning to come together and it’s getting a step closer to the launch.
Earlier this month, crews installed some of its legs and six of its wheels. But now, the vehicle needs a name, and for that, NASA is asking students all over to give their name ideas.
Starting in Fall 2019, NASA will run a nationwide “Name the Rover” contest open to K-12 students in the US. The spacecraft will need a name by July 2020, when it’s expected to launch.
According to NASA, two partner organizations have been selected to run a nationwide contest giving K-12 students in U.S. schools a chance to make history by naming the Mars 2020 rover.
Battelle Education, of Columbus, Ohio, and Future Engineers, of Burbank, California, will collaborate with NASA on the Mars 2020 “Name the Rover” contest, which will be open to students in the fall of 2019. The student contest is part of NASA’s efforts to engage the public in its missions to the Moon and Mars.
The contest is part of NASA’s ongoing effort to engage the public in its Moon to Mars mission, which will search for signs of microbial life, characterize the planet’s climate and geology and pave the way for human exploration. If you’re not a K-12 student but want to get involved, NASA is also accepting applications to judge the contest submissions.
If you want to go a step further, you can participate in NASA’s “Send Your Name” campaign. Your moniker will be etched into a dime-sized chip and sent to space. In return, you’ll get a commemorative “boarding-pass.” The rover’s launch is still more than a year away, and there’s a good chance NASA will share more ways to get involved in the meantime.
For more details on the Mars 2020 Rover, click here.
