The Mars 2020 Detector is a huge 2,300-pound robot that will eventually perform missions on Mars. The task of the rover is to look for signs of past microbial life on the red planet, where it will utilize a variety of systems, including a large robotic arm and a remote sensing mast.

Assuming everything goes according to plan, NASA will launch Mars 2020 in July 2020. However, before this, the space agency will announce the official name of the rover on February 18 next year. The final name will be selected from the nine finalists. The public will vote in January 2020.

Children in the US K-12 age group can submit their own name suggestions in the NASA competition, submit an article (up to 150 words) and suggest and explain why the name should be chosen. NASA will classify the essays into K-4, 5-8 and 9-12 levels.

According to NASA, name suggestions will be judged based on a variety of factors, including the appropriateness, originality and importance of the name. The quality and originality of the essay will also be judged. Each team will have three finalists to advance to the final round.