The artistic vision of the NASA Mars 2020 rover, studying the neighborhood. The device is planned to be launched in July or August 2020 from the Cape Canaveral Air Force (FL)
NASA's next Mars rover will get its name from the student, as happened with previous researchers of the Red Planet. The agency plans to hold a competition to search for a name for a spacecraft, which is now called “Mars 2020”. The competition will be held during the academic year 2019, covering age groups from kindergarten to high school graduates. They should write an essay explaining their choices.
NASA also included sponsors from corporations, non-profit and educational organizations involved in science and space research. Such a competition has been held since the first rover from 1997. Thousands of children are participating, showing their interest in Mars.
The first rover was Sojourner, a 12-year-old boy named after a female wrestler of slavery Sojourner Truth. The Arizona 3-grader gave the names of a pair of Spirit and Opportunity vehicles that landed on the surface of the Red Planet in January 2004. A 6-grader Clara Ma gave the name Curiosity for the apparatus, who arrived to study the giant Martian crater in 2012. The construction of Mars 2020 will be based on Curiosity. The device will also study the possible ancient Martian life. However, it will go much further. On the rover, there are fancy gadgets, including technology that can generate oxygen from the Martian atmosphere, and a mini-helicopter departing for reconnaissance.
Rover plan to launch in 2020 (July or August). In addition, in the same year they are going to send a European hunter for life, who also needs a name. The British Space Agency is holding a contest for ExoMars rover, which ends on October 10th. This is the second phase of the program, led by ESA in partnership with Russia. The first phase delivered to Mars TGO and the descent module Schiaparelli in 2016.