NASA on Tuesday opened up registrations that allow students to enter Mars 2020 Rover essay contest. NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory also released a short clip asking schools to enter contest and name rover for NASA's next Mars mission. NASA said it is prepping to launch Mars 2020 Rover to Red Planet in July 2020. Since it doesn't have a name yet, NASA is calling K-12 students across US to send in essays with ir name ideas. NASA deline to submit entries is 1st vember 2019. NASA will also invite grand prize winner of contest to witness craft launch in July 2020 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

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Name NASA's Next Mars Rover

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"This naming contest is a wonderful opportunity for our nation’s youth to get involved with NASA’s Moon to Mars missions,” said NASA ministrator Jim Bridenstine. "It is an exciting way to eng with a rover that will likely serve as first leg of a Mars Sample return campaign, collecting and caching core samples from Martian surface for scientists here on Earth to study for first time.”

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Mars 2020 rover

NASA's Mars 2020 mission aims to search for signs of past microbial life. Scientists will also characterise Mars' climate and geology. rover weighs about 2300-pound.

“Our Mars 2020 rover has fully taken shape over past several months, as project team installed various components onto chassis: computer brain and electronics; wheels and mobility system; robotic arm; remote sensing mast; seven science instruments; and finally, sample caching system," said George Tahu, Mars 2020 program executive. "All that’s missing is a great name!”

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How to enter contest

deline to submit entries with proposed rover name and a short essay is 1st vember. NASA said it would divide into three groups based on levels of gres: K-4, 5-8, and 9-12. NASA will select 52 semifinalists for every group. NASA said each group represent ir respective state. For final, NASA will choose three finalists from each group. NASA will anunce grand prize winner on 18th February 2020.