page_title: Spacecraft naming
section_title: Mars Exploration Rovers
hierarchical_section_title: Spacecraft naming / Mars missions / Mars Exploration Rovers
caption_attribution_description: English: Sofi Collis with a model of Mars Exploration Rover
context_page_description: Spacecraft and their missions are given descriptive, sometimes technical names, by scientists, engineers and administrators involved. Space agencies sometimes open the naming up to the public or to school children in the form of essay contests.
context_section_description: During development and construction, the rovers were known as MER-1 (Opportunity) and MER-2 (Spirit). Internally, NASA also uses the mission designations MER-A (Spirit) and MER-B (Opportunity) based on the order of landing on Mars (Spirit first then Opportunity). The rovers were named through a student essay competition sponsored by NASA, the Planetary Society and Lego. The winning entry was by Sofi Collis, a third-grade Russian-American student from Arizona, who named both rovers.
  I used to live in an orphanage. It was dark and cold and lonely. At night, I looked up at the sparkly sky and felt better. I dreamed I could fly there. In America, I can make all my dreams come true. Thank you for the 'Spirit' and the 'Opportunity.'
  — Sofi Collis, age 9
caption: Sofi Collis and a Mars Exploration Rover
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