Are you looking for a unique way to explore the mysteries of the universe with your children? How about your very own Mars rover? OK...so you won't actually own the rover, but you can claim that you named it. Right now, NASA is looking for a name for the its next Mars rover. In fact, NASA, in cooperation with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures' movie WALL-E from Pixar Animation Studios, has organized a contest to find the perfect name! From November 18, 2008 to January 25, 2009, US students (5 - 18 years old) can submit essays explaining why their suggested name for the car-sized Mars Science Laboratory rover should be chosen. Nine finalist names will be selected, 3 from each grade range: k-3, 4-7, 8-12. In March 2009, the public will have an opportunity to rank nine finalist names via the Internet as additional input for judges to consider during the selection process. NASA will announce the winning rover name in April 2009.
What about the prizes? This is a contest, so there must be some prizes. Well, Disney will provide prizes to students submitting winning essays, including a trip to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., where the rover is under construction. If you name is chosen, you will have the opportunity to place your John Hancock on the actually spacecraft. How's that for a place in history?!
The Mars Science Laboratory rover, scheduled for launch in 2009, will be larger and more capable than any craft previously sent to Mars. Even more important, it will check whether the environment on Mars has ever been capable supporting microbial life. The rover will search for minerals that formed in the presence of water and look for several chemical building blocks of life.
So, how about it? Do you have the right stuff...or at least the right name? January 25th is right around the corner. Put that marvelous brain of yours to work and find the right name for the next Mars Rover!
For more information about the contest, click here.
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