Name the New Mars Rover!

January 19, 2009 — Chances are you named your dog, cat, fish or frogs. But can you come up with the right name for the next Mars rover? NASA, in cooperation with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures' movie WALL-E from Pixar Animation Studios, is conducting a contest to names its car-sized Mars Science Laboratory rover that is scheduled for launch in 2009. The contest, which continues through January 25, 2009, is open to students ages 5-18 who are enrolled in a U.S. school. But to enter, students must do more than come up with a name. They must also submit essays explaining why their name should be chosen. In March 2009, the public will have a chance 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. Disney will provide prizes to students submitting winning essays, including a trip to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory where the rover is under construction. The grand-prize winner will have an opportunity to place a signature on the spacecraft and take part in the history of space exploration. "Mars exploration has always captured the public imagination," said Mark Dahl, program executive for the Mars Science Laboratory at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "This contest will expand our ability to inspire students' interest in science and give the public a chance to participate in NASA's next expedition to Mars." The Mars rover will be larger and more capable than any craft previously sent to land there. It will check whether the environment in a carefully selected landing region ever has been favorable for 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. The contest coincides with Walt Disney ‘s release of WALL-E on DVD and Blu-ray. The naming contest partnership is part of an agreement between NASA and Disney designed to use the appeal of WALL-E in educational and public outreach efforts. For more information on the contest, click here.

The name the rover contest coincides with the video release of WALL-E. Photo illustration from: http://marsrovername.jpl.nasa.gov/ Wheels were first attached to NASA's Mars Science Laboratory rover in August 2008. The rover and its descent stage and cruise stage are being assembled and tested at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., for launch in 2009. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

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