NASA Holds Naming Contest For New 2020 Mars Rover Being Built In Pasadena
PASADENA (CBSLA) – NASA will launch its next Mars rover later this year, but before it does so, it needs a name.
NASA, which is currently developing the rover at its Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, held an essay contest asking students from kindergarten through high school to propose possible names for the rover.
NASA received more than 28,000 essays, and a panel of 4,700 judges whittled the number of names down to just nine.
Now, NASA has an online poll where the public can vote on their favorite name.
Here are the finalists: Endurance, Tenacity, Promise, Perseverance, Vision, Clarity, Ingenuity, Fortitude and Courage.
The rover will launch sometime between July 17 and Aug. 5. from Cape Canaveral. It is expected to land on Mars in February 2021.
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Last February, the successful 15-year mission for the Mars Opportunity rover officially came to an end when NASA lost contact with it.
The new rover's name will be announced next month. To vote, click here. The poll closes on Monday.