Schoolchildren are being asked by NASA and the American Geophysical Union
(AGU) to rename a satellite to be launched later this year.
The first Earth Observing System satellite, EOS-AM-1, will monitor cloud
properties, fires and other climate-related phenomena. Though EOS means 鈥渄awn鈥�
in Greek, NASA decided to repeat the process that yielded the name 鈥淪ojourner鈥�
for the Mars Pathfinder rover. 鈥淚t was a cleverly chosen acronym, but we鈥檙e
looking for a better name,鈥� says AGU spokesman Harvey Leifert. Entries must
include a 300-word essay explaining the name, and are due by 29 May.