NASA's Mars Rover 2020 can now be called on its newest and very official name called 'Perseverance.' This robotic machine is part of National Aeronautics and Space Administration or NASA's Mars Exploration Program that investigates more details about the Red planet. The interesting part on this is that who named Mars Rover, and why did he choose the word Perseverance?
11-year-old student gives name to NASA Mars Rover 2020, and it's Perseverance!
In the announcement of NASA today, Mar. 5, Mars Rover 2020 is now called 'Perseverance.' Out of the thousand entries that students submitted during the agency's nationwide naming contest, the name was already chosen, and a 13-year-old kid from Virginia gave it.
Alexander Mather, a seventh-grade student in Virginia, choose the said name. According to CNN, the curiosity of Mather on space and science are extremely high ever since he was a little kid. His parents first sent him to Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, wherein he found the capsule of the Saturn V rocket rising over the building. This interests him more to research about space.
"I immediately knew space was something I was doing for the rest of my life," Mather said.
As a prize for naming the Mars robot, Mather will be invited to watch the spacecraft launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida this coming summer.
"I was really, really shy as a kid," Mather said, according to NASA. "I didn't think my voice was important. But after winning the naming contest, there was a lot of attention on me - unlike anything I'd ever known. My life would not be the same if I hadn't spoken up to articulate my thoughts."
Why 'Perseverance' is the new name of Mars Rover 2020?
According to the essay submitted by Mather, the name 'Perseverance' is the perfect name for Mars Rover 2020 since the former names of this robotic machine are all based on human characteristics.
"Curiosity. InSight. Spirit. Opportunity. If you think about it, all of these names of past Mars rovers are qualities we possess as humans. We are always curious and seek opportunity. We have the spirit and insight to explore the Moon, Mars, and beyond," written by Mather.
"But, if rovers are to be the qualities of us as a race, we missed the most important thing. Perseverance. We as humans evolved as creatures who could learn to adapt to any situation, no matter how harsh. We are a species of explorers, and we will meet many setbacks on the way to Mars. However, we can persevere. We, not as a nation but as humans, will not give up. Even faced with bitter losses such as Opportunity and Vikram 2, the human race will always persevere into the future."
Mars Rover 2020 launching date and soon joining Curiosity in Mars!
NASA Mars Rover 2020 is scheduled to launch in July and expected to land on Mars in Feb. 2021. Perseverance will be joining Curiosity-- another functioning rover in Mars.
