NASA announces contest for students to name Mars rover

NASA, the United States space research organisation is now accepting applications to name the Mars rover that is set to launch in 2020. The space research organisation took to Twitter and tweeted, "K-12 students, don’t miss the opportunity to name our Mars 2020 rover." According to NASA, the competition is open to "U.S. students in kindergarten through 12th grade, attending public, private, or home schools, have only through Nov. 1 to propose their name for the rover to be launched to Mars in 2020."

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NASA tweet accepting applications 

An out-of-the-world experience 

In 2008, a United Students student by the name of Clara Ma won the naming contest for the Mars Rover Curiosity, the NASA rover is currently on its expedition around Mars. Clara Ma stated to NASA that the experience rocked her world. "I was really, really shy as a kid," Ma explained. "I didn't think my voice was important. But after winning the naming contest, there was a lot of attention on me — unlike anything I'd ever known. My life would not be the same if I hadn't spoken up to articulate my thoughts," Ma added. 

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'The grand prize winner will be announced on Feb. 18, 2020'

The NASA website states that if you are a K-12 and want to propose a name for the rover that launches in 2020, you are required to visit: Name 2020. NASA further states that, "Semifinalists will be chosen on Jan. 9, 2020, with finalists chosen on Jan. 20. The nine finalists will be interviewed by an expert panel including Ma. The grand prize winner will be announced on Feb. 18, 2020 — exactly one year before the rover will land on Mars."

'The soon-to-be-renamed Mars 2020 rover will launch in July or August 2020'

NASA states that every rover that has been sent to Mars has been named by a student. Right from the "suitcase-size Sojourner rover that landed in 1997." NASA further added that, "The soon-to-be-renamed Mars 2020 rover will launch in July or August 2020. Equipped with a new suite of scientific instruments, the rover aims to build upon Curiosity's discoveries about how Mars was habitable in the past. Mars 2020 will search for signs of past microbial life, characterize the planet's climate and geology and collect samples for a future return to Earth."

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