Contest to Name EOS AM-1

The contest, co-sponsored by NASA and the American Geophysical Union (AGU), received more than 1,100 entries from students all over the world. Out of the many submissions, the judges chose the top ten finalists and then the grand prize winner — "Terra" from Sasha Jones, a 12th grader from St. Louis, Missouri.

The grand prize includes round-trip airfare to California for Sasha and her parents to see the lauch of Terra in December 1999, and her school will receive a computer and software enabling access to Terra image data.

Congratulations to Sasha!

Her winning entry:

Terra
The woman I believe this satellite should be named after is the most beautiful woman ever. Without her production of food we would not eat. Without her production of fluids we would not drink. Without her tedious care for vegetation we would not be able to build houses, cure the sick, and even breathe. Without her fury we would not be taught lessons, be brought closer together, and learn how to survive against all odds. She is our history, all of it. She is our present, she allows us to be. She is our future, and we must care for her, as she is the most caring and beautiful woman in the universe. She will be the mission of this EOS AM-1, and we should name it after her, in honor of her. She is Terra: Mother Earth.

Mundo
Jennifer Boyd
Boise, Idaho

Oculus
Karen Campion
Crestwood, Kentucky

Kono
Herve Choi
Toronto, Canada

Hyperion
Danielle Fink
Bellaire, Texas

Gaea
Ashley Horn
Durham, Connecticut

Ma'exa
Jennifer Hsieh
San Jose, California

Iris
Elizabeth Kunkle
Saginaw, Michigan

The Carson
Maggie Messerchmidt
Louisville, Kentucky

Hugin
Hakon Reiersen
Sveio, Norway