The ExoMars rover, set to launch next year to find evidence of life on Mars, has been named after British scientist Rosalind Franklin.
The name was revealed by astronaut Tim Peake聽as part of a public competition launched in July last year.
More than 36,000 people submitted ideas in the competition, which were narrowed down by a panel of experts.
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鈥淚t鈥檚 an important name because Rosalind Franklin was one of the great British scientists who unlocked the secrets of human life in terms of understanding DNA and the double helix, and ExoMars is so exciting because we鈥檙e searching for life and the possibility that life evolved on Mars,鈥� said Peake.
The Rosalind Franklin rover will embark on a joint mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and Russian space agency Roscosmos, which is planned to launch in summer 2020 with the aim of understanding whether life exists or ever existed on the Red Planet.
The first part of the mission, the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter,聽was launched in 2016. It aims to 鈥渟niff鈥� the Martian atmosphere and look for evidence of methane, which may be an indication of active life on or below the planet鈥檚 surface.
鈥淭here were many very colourful entries 鈥� Rover McRoverface I think at one point was one of the most popular names, but of course I think Rosalind Franklin is a much more fitting tribute to a great British scientist,鈥� said Peake.
