Name the Rover CHALLENGE

winners announced
Challenge Details

YOUR CHALLENGE IS:

NAME NASA'S MARS 2020 ROVER

Challenge Closed





K-12 Students

If you are a K-12 student in the United States, your challenge is to name NASA’s next Mars rover. Submit your rover name and a short essay (maximum 150 words) to explain the reasons for your selected name. Be sure to review the RULES for all challenge details and entry requirements, including the privacy requirement of NO PERSONAL NAMES in your submission so that your entry may be posted in the public gallery. The Mars 2020 rover will seek signs of past microbial life, collect surface samples as the first leg of a potential Mars Sample Return campaign, and test technologies to produce oxygen from the Martian atmosphere to prepare for future human missions. More background information about the Mars 2020 mission is provided in the education resources section below.
Challenge Launch Video
play

WINNERS

Promise
Grades K-4 Finalist
Amira Shanshiry
Westwood, MA
Tenacity
Grades K-4 Finalist
Eamon Reilly
York, PA
Endurance
Grades K-4 Finalist
Oliver Jacobs
Arlington, VA
Wonderment
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Kyler Frazier
Healy, AK
MARV
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Stephen Baker
Madison, AL
Tenacity
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Evelyn Brown
Little Rock, AR
Ambition
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Athena Nastasia
Phoenix, AZ
Revelar
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Malvika Ganapathy
Los Angeles, CA
Metis 2020
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Nithin Ramakrishnan
Aurora, CO
Tenacity
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Violet Hughes
Newtown, CT
Groundbreaker
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Lydia Adcock
Washington, DC
Picus
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
John Guarino
Wilmington, DE
Prospector
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Kate Hurford
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Determination
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Mason McCullough
Hiram, GA
Examiner
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Jayson Allen
Kailua-Kona, HI
Summer
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Han Jing Ni
Council Bluffs, IA
Ares-Gigasis
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Prisha Adhikari
Meridian, ID
Wonder
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Mia Cybulski
Palos Hills, IL
Little Tinker
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Delaney York
Carmel, IN
JEEVAN
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Gabriel Mathew
Shawnee, KS
Decipher
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Agastya Mishra
Louisville, KY
Reconnoiter
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Vincent Vaughan
Minden, LA
F.I.D.O.
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Violet Gerkin
Hampstead, MD
Possibility
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Sarah Lupien
South Portland, ME
Calypso
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Jordyn Mason
Romulus, MI
Humanity
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Abhinav Rai
Minneapolis, MN
Mystery
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Schiylah Pilant
Neosho, MO
D.R.E.A.M.
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Clark Helmick
Hernando, MS
Believer
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Caden Jack
White Sulphur Springs, MT
Determination
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Savita Oldham
Apex, NC
Investigator
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Susan Vastag
West Fargo, ND
Biorevelation
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Carter Bell
Omaha, NE
L.E.A.D.
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Alice Martin
Exeter, NH
Inspiration
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Heidi Jacobs
Haddonfield, NJ
Picus
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Mark Goldman
Albuquerque, NM
Determination
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Fiona Wieland
Las Vegas, NV
Inspiration
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Zain Haque
Riverside, CT
Possibility
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Samuel Trippier
Delaware, OH
Dusty
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Avery Hendricks
Edmond, OK
A.L.I.E.T.T.
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Linkoln Custer
Milwaukie, OR
ROSE
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Reese Panganiban
Dorado, PR
ARC
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Alyvia Peiczarka
West Warwick, RI
Cyano
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Serafina D'Amico
Greenville, SC
Adventure
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Will Clemens
Northville, SD
Innovator
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
David Fillmore
Gallatin, TN
Enlightenment
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Riley Rosen
Austin, TX
Promise
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Lanaya Allen
Saratoga Springs, UT
GRIT
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Max Gurtman
South Burlington, VT
Inspiration
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Arden Richter
Seattle, WA
Archimedes
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Ben Myers
Madison, WI
Propulsion Major Crater
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Mikayla Morgan
Williamstown, WV
Information Rover
Grades K-4 SemiFinalist
Mason Moreland
Buffalo, WY
Perseverance
1
Grades 5-8 Winner
Alexander Mather
Springfield, VA
Clarity
Grades 5-8 Finalist
Nora Benitez
San Diego, CA
Vision
Grades 5-8 Finalist
Hadley Green
Oxford, MS
Perception
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Katelyn Stiles
Juneau, AK
Advent Gnosis
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Wesley Quick
Silverhill , AL
Coeus
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Maddy Flynn
Charleston, AR
Ikenga
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Marydith Sudkamp
Peoria, AZ
Imagination
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Cora Maddox
Monument, CO
DIANA
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Xander Shavers
Woodbridge, CT
FOOTPRINT
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Bailey Ross
Washington, DC
Ingenuity
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Hailey Mack
Ocean View, DE
Dari
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Linney Kim
Tampa, FL
Oracle
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Lydia Nasmyth
Marietta, GA
Archí
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Emi Matsuura
Aiea, HI
Dreamer
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Josie Mueller
Donnellson, IA
AGE
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Evelyn Myers
Boise, ID
Maria
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Mckenna Corso
Huntley, IL
Perseverance
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Liam Sullivan
Indianapolis, IN
Vision
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Sarayah McClure
Olathe, KS
Expansion
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
John Bowling
Louisville, KY
Abeona
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Jack Randall
Shreveport, LA
Asteria Morpheus
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Leah Schneyer-VanZile
Arlington, MA
Excelsior
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Amelia Ashley
Owings, MD
Perspective
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Sean Morse
Hampden, ME
Ambition
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Dillon Austin
Newberry, MI
Abeona
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Nate Axelson
Saint Paul, MN
OPTIMISM
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Brady Pendleton
Republic, MO
Aethon
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Ian Ariaz
Kalispell, MT
Emergence
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Ankit Biswas
Waxhaw, NC
Cueillir
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Gabrielle Cormier
Grand Forks, ND
Enlightenment
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Oslo Gegg
Lincoln, NE
Vision
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Trip Hanna
Hooksett, NH
RIDE
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Nidhi Nair
Holmdel, NJ
Promise
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Josiah Fidel
Albuquerque, NM
Determination
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Garrett Tai
Las Vegas, NV
Visionary
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Asher Philyaw
East Amherst, NY
AMoEBA
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Zack Meyer
Perrysburg, OH
Nunnehi
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Caden Fox
Claremore, OK
Perspective
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Truman Stonestreet
Portland, OR
Fascination
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
August Kollar
Pittsburgh, PA
CAPACITY
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Ema Reyes-Torres
San Juan, PR
Perserva
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Sophia Hipsman
West Warwick, RI
Prospector
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Camryn Hillard
Rapid City, SD
Anaxagoras
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Caleb Deering
Nolensville, TN
INGENUITY
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Chris Le
Dallas, TX
Merian
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Logan Purser
Lehi, UT
Zoi
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Riley Miller
St. Croix, VI
Monarch
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Evelyn Kalat
Barre, VT
VITALITY ROVER
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Jasper Scofield
Seattle, WA
Eirene
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Sarah Tokach
Sparta, WI
Outlook
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Julianna Ferrell
Morgantown, WV
Altan
Grades 5-8 SemiFinalist
Katelyn Davis
Green River, WY
Ingenuity
Grades 9-12 Finalist
Vaneeza Rupani
Northport, AL
Courage
Grades 9-12 Finalist
Tori Gray
Grand Isle, LA
Fortitude
Grades 9-12 Finalist
Anthony Yoon
Norman, OK
CAMR
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Arabella Batori
Cantwell, AK
Valiant
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Mackenzie Allen
Bella Vista, AR
Perception
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Carson Ellsworth
Gilbert, AZ
Calafia
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Caroline Smith
Granada Hills, CA
Tenacity
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Kaitlyn Ketchell
Monument, CO
Abeona
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Page Warren
West Hartford, CT
Asclepius
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Andrej Coleman
Washington, DC
Aspire
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Jozlyn Slivinski
Wilmington, DE
Ingenuity
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Eddy Navas
Miami, FL
Abeona
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Alexandra Smith
East Dublin, GA
A.R.D.O.R.
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Celina Taramasco
Kapolei, HI
Vita Venator
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Lilou Beachy
Wellman, IA
Possibility
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Madison Albaugh
Post Falls, ID
Catalyst
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Akhil Ramidi
Buffalo Grove, IL
Inspiration
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Tyler Falls
Merrillville, IN
Ambition
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Stephen Kluck
Olathe, KS
Inspiration
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Mary Lara Hardesty
Ashland, KY
Ingenuity
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Yaozu Chen
Winchester, MA
Clarity
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Izabella Dabrasky
Aberdeen, MD
Apeiron
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Carolyne Sauda
Bangor, ME
Antoniadi
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Adam Faunce
Milford, MI
Adeo
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Gabrielle Orth
Rogers, MN
Vitus
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Alyssa Graham
Sarcoxie, MO
Asrik
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Abigayle Baldwin
Gulfport, MS
Audacity
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Kylee Botsford
Manhattan, MT
Pyassa
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Duha Khan
Morrisville, NC
Perspective
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Malachi Stein
Bismarck, ND
Apricity
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Calvin Goodall
Omaha, NE
Prayas
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Tanya Das
Exeter, NH
Novus
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Eli Nadell
Short Hills, NJ
G.R.I.T.
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Maximilian Looft
Santa Fe, NM
Vision
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Maia Marshall
Las Vegas, NV
Ambition Tardigrada
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Nora Lowe
Armonk, NY
Prospect
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Brianna Hensley
Cincinnati, OH
Visionary
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Savi Everett
Beaverton, OR
Aurum
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Danica Raich
Sewickley, PA
Starlight
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Alejandro Goycochea
Santa Isabel, PR
Inspire
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Sofia Bianco
East Greenwich, RI
Amica
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Jada Broome
Columbia, SC
Inquisitive
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Tomas Gonzalez
Brookings, SD
Aspiration
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Elaina Fleming
Memphis, TN
Mornar
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Conner Petru
Austin, TX
Clarity
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Adalynn Riley
Willard, UT
Elpis
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Jacobie Spence
Salem, VA
Viatoris
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Leslie Bostwick
Williston, VT
Forager
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Charlotte Beck
Richland, WA
Seeker
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Nathan Veldboom
Hudson, WI
IM-Pression
Grades 9-12 SemiFinalist
Piolo Pascual
Morgantown, WV
 
 

DATES / JUDGING CRITERIA / PRIZES

You have to play by the rules to win.

WHO CAN ENTER

Individual K-12 Students in US public, private, and home schools (including U.S. territories & possessions and schools operated by the U.S. for the children of American personnel overseas). NO team entries allowed! Children and students who live in the same household with NASA, Battelle Education, JPL, or Caltech employees cannot enter. For all eligibility details, please refer to the rules.
GRADES K-4
GRADES 5-8
GRADES 9-12

JUDGING CRITERIA

Grades K-4
Grades 5-8
Grades 9-12
 
40
POINTS
Appropriateness and Significance of Name
30
POINTS
Originality of name
30
POINTS
Originality and quality of the essay and/or finalist interview presentation
5
POINTS
Bonus points awarded to entry with the highest public poll votes (only applicable in the final judging round)
40
POINTS
Appropriateness and Significance of Name
30
POINTS
Originality of name
30
POINTS
Originality and quality of the essay and/or finalist interview presentation
5
POINTS
Bonus points awarded to entry with the highest public poll votes (only applicable in the final judging round)
40
POINTS
Appropriateness and Significance of Name
30
POINTS
Originality of name
30
POINTS
Originality and quality of the essay​ and/or finalist interview presentation
5
POINTS
Bonus points awarded to entry with the highest public poll votes (only applicable in the final judging round)

HOW TO ENTER

Please review the Challenge Rules and FAQ prior to creating your entry.

Challenge Rules FAQ

TEACHERS
Sign up to register your class and manage entries. We now support Google Classroom too!

STUDENTS
Sign up on your own, or use a code to participate with your class.

STUDENT USING GOOGLE CLASSROOM?
Login to Submit

STUDENT & TEACHER SIGN UP
PROGRAM DATES
Challenge Launch
28
August
Entries Close
01
November
Semifinalists Announced
13
January
Finalists Announced
21
January
Finalist Interviews
31
January
Winner Announced
05
March
Challenge Launch
28
August
Entries Close
01
November
Semifinalists Announced
13
January
Finalists Announced
21
January
Finalist Interviews
31
January
Winner Announced
05
March

PRIZES

 

Dive Into The Challenge

Lesson Plan Details and Challenge Tips!

1. Links & Lessons

 

2. Brainstorm & Design

 
Links & Lessons
Brainstorm & Design
Links & Lessons
>
Links & Lessons
Brainstorm & Design

Brainstorm & Design

Get creative! We can't wait to see what rover name you will submit. If you get stumped then take a moment to get to know the rover. Maybe the rover’s objectives, design, or capabilities will inspire you.
Brainstorming Idea
Mission Objectives

The Mars 2020 mission will not only seek signs that Mars could have supported life in the ancient past, but will also search for signs of past microbial (single-cell) life itself. The Mars 2020 rover has a drill that can collect core samples of the most promising rocks and soils in special tubes, and set them aside in a "cache" on the surface of Mars. A future mission could bring these samples back to Earth.  That would help scientists study the samples in laboratories with equipment that would be too large to take to Mars. What are the mission’s science goals and how will the rover help achieve these goals? 

Brainstorming Idea
Landing Systems

The Mars 2020 mission will not only seek signs that Mars could have supported life in the ancient past, but will also search for signs of past microbial (single-cell) life itself. The Mars 2020 rover has a drill that can collect core samples of the most promising rocks and soils in special tubes, and set them aside in a "cache" on the surface of Mars. A future mission could bring these samples back to Earth.  That would help scientists study the samples in laboratories with equipment that would be too large to take to Mars. What are the mission’s science goals and how will the rover help achieve these goals? 

Brainstorming Idea
Movement

The six-wheeled rover has a “rocker-bogie” suspension system, to help it stay balanced while cruising over rocky Martian terrain. Each wheel has its own individual motor and the two in front and in the back have steering motors with a 360-degree capability. The rover itself is the size of a small SUV (10 feet long, not including the arm) with a top speed of 1.5 inches per second which is about one-tenth of a mile per hour. How does the “rocker-bogie” system keep the rover from tipping over? How does the 360-degree steering help the rover move around?

Brainstorming Idea
Communication

Getting information to and from the Rover is vital to the mission. It takes about 5 to 20 minutes for a radio signal to travel between Mars and Earth. The rover is equipped with three antennas that serve as both its “voice” and “ears”. What are these antennas for and how will they relay messages to the Earth and back to Mars?

Brainstorming Idea
Eyes and Other Senses

The rover has several cameras focused on engineering and science tasks. Some help the rover land on Mars, while others serve as the rover’s “eyes” on the surface to drive around. Scientists will use others to do scientific observations to help decide which rock and soil samples to collect.  The rover has a total of 23 cameras, some of which can even take video! What do the cameras do and are they so important to the rover?

Brainstorming Idea
Rock and Soil Sampling

The rover has several cameras focused on engineering and science tasks. Some help the rover land on Mars, while others serve as the rover’s “eyes” on the surface to drive around. Scientists will use others to do scientific observations to help decide which rock and soil samples to collect.  The rover has a total of 23 cameras, some of which can even take video! What do the cameras do and are they so important to the rover?

Digital Tools

Build & Iterate

FOR THE CLASSROOM

Group Size

Split into 8 teams

Approach

Assign each team a video lesson and have them present what they learned

Material

None

Educator tools

 

LAUNCHING THE INNOVATORS OF TOMORROW

The Mars 2020 "Name the Rover" Challenge is presented by challenge partners: NASA, Future Engineers, and Battelle Education. Additional prizes arranged by Future Engineers through Amazon Web Services. The student contest is part of NASA's efforts to engage the public in its missions to the Moon and Mars. The currently unnamed rover is a robotic scientist weighing more than 2,300 pounds (1,000 kilograms). It will search for signs of past microbial life, characterize the planet's climate and geology, collect samples for future return to Earth, and pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet. The spacecraft is targeted for a July 2020 launch and is expected to touch down on Mars in February 2021.

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