Mars 2020 Rover Engagement Activities

Beginning in fall 2019, NASA will run a nationwide “Name the Rover” contest open to K–12 students in the U.S. The spacecraft will need a name by July 2020, when it’s expected to launch. The contest is part of NASA’s ongoing effort to engage the public in its Moon to Mars mission, which will search for signs of microbial life, characterize the planet’s climate and geology, and pave the way for human exploration. If you’re not a K–12 student but want to get involved, NASA is also accepting applications to judge the contest submissions:

Send Your Name to Mars

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-selects-partners-for-mars-2020-name-the-rover-contest-seeks-judges

NASA also has a “Send Your Name” campaign. Names will be etched into a dime-sized chip and sent to space. Participants receive a commemorative “boarding-pass”:

https://mars.nasa.gov/participate/send-your-name/mars2020

All are invited to watch the live feed from the Spacecraft Assembly Facility cleanroom at JPL, where engineers are building and testing Mars 2020, before it is shipped to its launch site.

https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/mission/where-is-the-rover

Spotlight on Education highlights events and programs that provide opportunities for planetary scientists to become involved in education and public engagement. If you know of space science educational programs or events that should be included, please contact the Lunar and Planetary Institute's Education Department at [email protected].