The Chinese National Space Administration (CNSA) has unveiled a shortlist of ten names for its Mars rover, all inspired by Chinese mythology, Confucian principles, and mythical creatures.
Two Mars rovers are set to touch down in the coming weeks. The first, NASA's Perseverance, was named through a contest inviting K-12 students. Launched on August 28, 2019, the campaign drew 28,000 entries in weeks. Nearly 4,700 judges narrowed it to 155 semi-finalists, then nine finalists, ultimately selecting Perseverance.
China's rover, launched July 28, 2020, as part of the Tianwen-1 mission, will orbit Mars starting February 10 before landing in May. This orbiter-lander-rover combo marks China's first Mars attempt, building on three successful Moon landings. Success would make China only the second nation after the U.S. to softly land on the Red Planet.
Key goals include detecting water ice distribution in Martian soil and mapping geological features.
China's rover naming campaign, launched July 2020, attracted over 1.4 million submissions from 38 countries and regions, with more than 200,000 eligible, according to Yuan Foyu, the campaign director.
On January 18, 2021, CNSA's Center for Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering released the top ten: Hongyi ("persistence," echoing NASA's rover), Zhurong (fire god), Qilin (mythical unicorn), Chitu (red rabbit), Qiusuo (ancient poem reference), Zhuimeng ("pursuing a dream"), Nezha (mythical hero), Fenghuolun (Nezha's fire wheels), Tianxing (celestial motion), and Xinghuo ("spark").
Baidu is hosting the public vote, closing February 28. Judges will select the winner before the May landing.
