Xander Shavers, a local middle school student, has been selected a semifinalist for the Mars 2020 “Name the Rover” contest. Xander’s name entered the next round of consideration to become the official name of the Mars 2020 rover.
This student’s entry was selected as Connecticut’s winner in the middle school category. The suggested name, DIANA-Deep Insight on Adaptation to Natural Assets, and Alejandro’s essay can be viewed at https://www.futureengineers.org/nametherover/gallery/8240
The Mars 2020 Rover has entered the final stages of preparation for launch. The currently unnamed Mars 2020 Rover is a robotic scientist weighing more than 2,300 pounds. 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.
