Are the events that happen beyond Earth important to you? Have you wanted to stake your name, your creations, into the annals of history? Do you have a fascination with Mars? If you answered yes to any of these questions, the contest to name the Mars 2020 Rover may just interest you. 

All students K-12 throughout the United States have the opportunity to put forward a name for the rover bound to launch next year, which will give young people the chance to practice their artistic or scientific talent and possibly be the one to title the unnamed rover.

The rover, which is scheduled to land on Mars on Feb. 18, 2021, has two goals: searching for evidence of ancient microbial life and testing important knowledge that future colonists will need to know, such as how to produce oxygen and where to find water. Its goal is important to keep in mind while in the process of thinking of names. 

Students have until Nov. 1 to submit names, along with a 150-word essay explaining why NASA should pick their proposed name. The winner will be invited to attend the rover’s launch from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in July 2020.

Here is the ink to submit your entry:

https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/participate/name-the-rover/