Children across the U.S. are being invited to name the new Mars rover, set to launch to the red planet next year.
NASA's Name the Rover contest is open to children in kindergarten through 12th grade. The winner not only gets to name the rover but also will get to attend the launch in July 2020.
The rover will search for signs of microbial life, collect samples for return to Earth, and help set up future manned missions to Mars. It will also have a helicopter -- the first human-made aircraft to fly on another planet.
NASA says the contest is an effort to get kids interested in STEM -- science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Students must submit their rover name and a short essay about why their name should be chosen. The essays -- 150 words or fewer -- are due by Nov. 1.
NASA says the essays will be divided into three groups by grade level and judged on the appropriateness, significance, and originality of the names, as well as the quality and originality of the essays.
Each group will have 52 semifinalists, each representing their U.S. state or territory. They will be whittled down to three finalists from each group.
Then the public gets to weigh in, voting on the final nine names in January.
The winner will be announced on February 18, 2020 -- one year before the rover is scheduled to land on Mars.
Those who are too old to submit a name can also take part as a judge. NASA says it will take about five hours to review submissions.
