Curiosity makes plans for Mars trip
www.nasa.gov
NASA’s jet propulsion laboratory wanted to be different to their counterparts at the International Space Station in naming their new Mars rover. The team invited school children from all across America to submit a name for entry and write an essay explaining why they chose that name.
After going through more than 9,000 entries, they found the perfect one in Clara Ma’s entry from Lenexa, Kansas. NASA’s new name for the unfinished rover is to be ‘Curiosity’. “Curiosity is an everlasting flame that burns in everyone’s mind,” said part of the middle schooler’s essay.
The small car sized vehicle will be the fourth NASA rover to touch down on Mars in 2011. Since 2004 Spirit and Opportunity have been riding around Mars sending back valuable data long after their 90 day life expectancy. Phoenix has been on the red planet since 2008 but is a static machine.
The purpose of the mission to Mars is to carry on the search to see if there currently is or was ever microbial life on the planet. Curiosity will carry on being built in a clean room at NASA until it is close to launch day where it will be transferred to Cape Canaveral.
www.nasa.gov