Indian-Origin Girl Vaneeza Rupani Names NASA’s First Mars Helicopter

NASA has developed a new Mars helicopter and Vaneeza Rupani, a high schooler from Northport, Alabama, was bestowed the honour to name it. In a historic event, the 17-year-old girl of Indian origin Vaneeza has officially named NASA's first Mars helicopter ‘Ingenuity’ and everyone loves it. It will be the first aircraft to attempt powered flight on another planet.

Key Takeaways:

• Vaneeza Rupani, a high school junior from Northport, Alabama, earned the honour of naming NASA’s first Mars helicopter. The helicopter has been officially named Ingenuity.
• She submitted her essay into NASA's "Name the Rover" contest and was chosen among 28,000 essays from The US.
• Ingenuity and Perseverance are scheduled to launch in July and land next February at Mars’ Jezero Crater believed to be the site of a lake that existed 3.5 billion years ago.

Rupani earned the honour of naming the helicopter after participating in NASA's "Name the Rover" contest. The chopper that is designed will start from the Earth this summer along with NASA's Mars 2020 rover Perseverance  agency officials announced on April 29.

The name was submitted by Alabama high school student Vaneeza Rupani.

It is indeed an honour to name something that is part of a historic voyage. Vaneeza was chosen among 28,000 essays submitted by K-12 students from all over the US, according to NASA.

Our Mars helicopter has a new name! Meet: Ingenuity.

Student Vaneeza Rupani came up with the name during our “name the rover” contest. Ingenuity will ride to the Red Planet with @NASAPersevere to attempt the first powered flight on another world: https://t.co/4bGj3morKP pic.twitter.com/2ZyIm4sQRQ

— NASA (@NASA) April 29, 2020

Also Read: 56 year Old Peggy Whitson To Be Oldest Woman In Space

Significance behind the name ‘Ingenuity’

“The ingenuity and brilliance of people working hard to overcome the challenges of interplanetary travel are what allow us all to experience the wonders of space exploration,” Vaneeza wrote in her essay, according to a news release by NASA.

“Ingenuity is what allows people to accomplish amazing things, and it allows us to expand our horizons to the edges of the universe.”

Teenaged Vaneeza is interested in space science, according to her mother Nausheen Rupani. “On their way to school every day, she and her dad would pretend they were in a spaceship. They would imagine seeing planets (buildings), stars (traffic lights), etc. on their way and give them names,” Nausheen Rupani told NASA.

Talking about her submission and how exciting it was to be selected the teenager said, “(I thought) ingenuity would be a good name for the helicopter because that is exactly what it took to design this machine. The helicopter is an incredible project, and I am thrilled to have a part in its journey.”

Ingenuity and Perseverance are scheduled to launch in July and land next February at Mars’ Jezero Crater, the site of a lake that existed 3.5 billion years ago. “I am proud that NASA’s Mars Helicopter will be named by Vaneeza Rupani of Northport, Alabama. This is a unique privilege. Ms Rupani’s essay on why she chose the name ‘Ingenuity’ highlights her creativity, originality, and intelligence. Her grasp on the importance of exploration is extraordinary, and I am confident that she has a bright future ahead,” Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama said.

Also Read: First All-Female Spacewalks Weren’t Cancelled: Anne McClain, Astronaut

Feature Image Credit: India.com

Read More Stories By Ria Das