Perseverance: Mars Rover Gets Name Ahead of Summer Launch
2020-03-10
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1NASA's newest Mars rover is one step closer to being ready to launch next summer. It now has a name.
2The American space agency announced recently that it has named the six-wheeled robotic explorer Perseverance.
3The rover, which weighs about 1,043 kilograms, will take off for the Red Planet in July.
4Its job is to collect samples from Mars for eventual return to Earth.
5Part of its mission is to look for signs of past microbial life.
6It will also study the planet's climate and geology.
7Perseverance is currently going through final building steps and inspection at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
8It is targeted to land at Mars' Jezero Crater a little after 3:40 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on February 18, 2021.
9Merriam-Webster Learner's Dictionary defines perseverance as "the quality that allows someone to continue to do something even though it is difficult."
10The name was suggested by 13-year-old Alexander Mather.
11He took part in the naming contest for American schoolchildren.
12NASA announced the name last Thursday at the boy's school in Burke, Virginia.
13Mather said humans are explorers, "and we will meet many setbacks" or problems on the way to Mars.
14"However, we can persevere," he wrote.
15"We, not as a nation, but as humans, will not give up. The human race will always persevere into the future."
16NASA's associate administrator for science missions, Thomas Zurbuchen, said that the space agency's Curiosity rover has been exploring Mars since 2012.
17Curiosity continues to send data and pictures back to Earth.
18The qualities of "perseverance and curiosity together are what exploration is all about," Zurbuchen said.
19A plate with the name Perseverance was attached to the rover on March 4.
20It serves to block the rover from rocks and debris and protect cables.
21Mather got the idea for his name from the other rovers that came before it.
22They have names like Curiosity, Insight, Spirit and Opportunity.
23"If you think about it, all of these names of past Mars rovers are qualities we possess as humans," he wrote.
24"... But, if rovers are to be the qualities of us as a race, we missed the most important thing. Perseverance."
25This rover is the latest in a line of Red Planet robotic explorers to be named by school-age children, beginning with Sojourner in 1997.
26Each one was chosen after a nationwide contest.
27Mather will travel with his family to Cape Canaveral in Florida to watch the rover begin its trip to Mars when it launches this summer.
28Just two years ago, Mather was more interested in video games than space.
29That changed in the summer of 2018, when he visited Space Camp in Alabama.
30He became a space fan the first time he saw a Saturn V - the rocket that launched the Apollo astronauts to the Moon half a century ago.
31The naming contest began last August.
32American schoolchildren from kindergarten to 12th grade wrote to NASA.
33A total of 28,000 students sent in their ideas.
34Nearly 4,700 volunteer judges narrowed it down to 155 semifinalists.
35Once that group was down to nine finalists, the public got a chance to vote.
36More than 770,000 people from all around the world voted online.
37Outside of the United States, the most votes came from Turkey, then Romania and the United Kingdom.
38Others weighing in on the voting included people from Iran, Ghana and South Sudan.
39 And two people voted from Antarctica.
40I'm Anne Ball.
1NASA's newest Mars rover is one step closer to being ready to launch next summer. It now has a name. 2The American space agency announced recently that it has named the six-wheeled robotic explorer Perseverance. 3The rover, which weighs about 1,043 kilograms, will take off for the Red Planet in July. Its job is to collect samples from Mars for eventual return to Earth. Part of its mission is to look for signs of past microbial life. It will also study the planet's climate and geology. 4Perseverance is currently going through final building steps and inspection at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It is targeted to land at Mars' Jezero Crater a little after 3:40 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on February 18, 2021. 5Merriam-Webster Learner's Dictionary defines perseverance as "the quality that allows someone to continue to do something even though it is difficult." 6The name was suggested by 13-year-old Alexander Mather. He took part in the naming contest for American schoolchildren. NASA announced the name last Thursday at the boy's school in Burke, Virginia. 7Mather said humans are explorers, "and we will meet many setbacks" or problems on the way to Mars. "However, we can persevere," he wrote. "We, not as a nation, but as humans, will not give up. The human race will always persevere into the future." 8NASA's associate administrator for science missions, Thomas Zurbuchen, said that the space agency's Curiosity rover has been exploring Mars since 2012. 9Curiosity continues to send data and pictures back to Earth. 10The qualities of "perseverance and curiosity together are what exploration is all about," Zurbuchen said. 11A plate with the name Perseverance was attached to the rover on March 4. It serves to block the rover from rocks and debris and protect cables. 12Mather got the idea for his name from the other rovers that came before it. They have names like Curiosity, Insight, Spirit and Opportunity. 13"If you think about it, all of these names of past Mars rovers are qualities we possess as humans," he wrote. "... But, if rovers are to be the qualities of us as a race, we missed the most important thing. Perseverance." 14This rover is the latest in a line of Red Planet robotic explorers to be named by school-age children, beginning with Sojourner in 1997. Each one was chosen after a nationwide contest. 15Mather will travel with his family to Cape Canaveral in Florida to watch the rover begin its trip to Mars when it launches this summer. 16Just two years ago, Mather was more interested in video games than space. That changed in the summer of 2018, when he visited Space Camp in Alabama. He became a space fan the first time he saw a Saturn V - the rocket that launched the Apollo astronauts to the Moon half a century ago. 17The naming contest began last August. American schoolchildren from kindergarten to 12th grade wrote to NASA. A total of 28,000 students sent in their ideas. 18Nearly 4,700 volunteer judges narrowed it down to 155 semifinalists. Once that group was down to nine finalists, the public got a chance to vote. More than 770,000 people from all around the world voted online. 19Outside of the United States, the most votes came from Turkey, then Romania and the United Kingdom. Others weighing in on the voting included people from Iran, Ghana and South Sudan. And two people voted from Antarctica. 20I'm Anne Ball. 21Anne Ball wrote this story with information from the Associated Press and NASA. Ashley Thompson was the editor. 22What do you think of this story? Write to us in the comments section below. 23_________________________________________________________________ 24Words in This Story 25perseverance - n. the quality that allows someone to continue trying to do something even though it is difficult 26microbial - n. an extremely small living thing that can only be seen with a microscope 27geology - n. the rocks, land, processes of land formation, etc., of a particular area 28contest - n. an event in which people try to win by doing something better than others 29curiosity - n. the desire to learn or know more about something or someone 30debris - n. the pieces that are left after something has been destroyed 31cable - n. a thick, strong rope made of wires that are twisted together 32semifinalist - n. a person who has won games or contests to decide which people will be in the final part of a competition