Baidu App Announces Launch of Naming Selection Campaign for China's First Mars Rover

Rhea-AI Summary

Baidu App has launched a naming selection campaign for China's first Mars rover, recently launched as part of the Tianwen-1 mission. Users can submit naming ideas until August 12, with 500 million monthly active users expected to participate. The campaign aims to engage the public while providing interactive content about the mission. Noteworthy figures, including astronauts and celebrities, have contributed name suggestions. This partnership with the China National Space Administration further emphasizes Baidu's role in promoting scientific knowledge and engagement regarding space exploration.

Positive

• Baidu App leverages its 500 million MAUs to enhance public engagement in naming the Mars rover.
• Significant increase in public interest, with search requests about the Tianwen-1 mission up 1,560% post-launch.
• Partnership with CNSA aligns with Baidu's mission to promote science and technology.

Negative

• None.

BEIJING, July 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Baidu App, the flagship mobile platform of Baidu Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU), today kicked off the official naming selection process for China's first Mars rover, which was launched into space yesterday from Wenchang, Hainan province, as part of the Tianwen-1 Mars exploration mission. As the exclusive partner for the rover's naming campaign, Baidu App will leverage its expansive user base to allow netizens to contribute to the selection of the rover's name and view interactive content about the mission.

Baidu has the largest information and knowledge-centered mobile ecosystem in China, said Foyu Yuan, Corporate Vice President of Baidu, which will allow Baidu to attract netizens at home and abroad to participate in the naming of China's first Mars rover. She added that Baidu will use this campaign to tell stories about space exploration from multiple angles.

Baidu App is hosting the naming selection process for the rover on a designated Smart Mini Program. The campaign was launched today at a press conference held in Wenchang with the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center of the China National Space Administration (CNSA), and was attended by the center's deputy director Tongjie Liu. Including a lander, rover, and orbiter, Tianwen-1 is China's first solo exploration mission to Mars and represents a historic moment both for China's space program and humanity's understanding of Mars. Tianwen means "Questions to Heaven" and comes from a poem by Yuan Qu, one of the greatest poets of ancient China who lived from around 340 to 278 BCE.

In the first stage of the naming campaign, users are invited to submit their ideas before the deadline on August 12. Users can search "Mars rover" or "Mars rover naming selection" on Baidu App to enter the submission page. Industry experts and the public will then narrow down the top ideas. With 500 million monthly active users (MAUs), Baidu App's Smart Mini Programs are a core pillar of the company's mobile strategy, as they connect users to a wide range of information and services through native app-like experiences.

In a video to mark the start of the naming campaign, astronauts Zhigang Zhai, Yang Liu, and Yaping Wang paid tribute to China's first mission to Mars. In addition, notable figures including Chinese martial artist Jackie Chan, Chinese pianist Lang Lang, and Baidu's Executive Vice President Dou Shen all provided name ideas for the Mars rover. Xiaodu, Baidu's conversational AI assistant, even submitted an AI-generated idea, "Zhuque" (Vermillion Bird), a Chinese mythical bird.

In addition to serving as the exclusive partner for the naming process of the Mars rover, Baidu App will offer a range of interactive content and activities about the Tianwen-1 mission to promote scientific knowledge about space exploration. For example, users can search "Mars rover" and view a 3D structure of the vehicle. Baidu App will also host an "AI Mars office" and "Mars post office" so users can virtually experience the environment on Mars. These efforts aim to encourage more netizens to learn about the historic Mars mission. According to Baidu search data, requests for information about the Tianwen-1 mission increased 1,560% within the hour of its successful launch.

The new partnership builds on existing cooperation between Baidu App and CNSA's Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center. Recently, Baidu App worked with the Mars mission to host a livestream program where scientists shared authoritative knowledge about outer space. Leveraging its AI expertise, strengths as a knowledge platform, and more than 230 million daily active users (DAUs), Baidu App is proud to be an exclusive partner of China's first Mars mission to inform netizens about this historic moment in China's space exploration.

About Baidu

Baidu, Inc. is a leading search engine, knowledge and information centered Internet platform and AI company. The Company's mission is to make the complicated world simpler through technology. Baidu's ADSs trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "BIDU". Currently, ten ADSs represent one Class A ordinary share.

 

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SOURCE Baidu, Inc.

FAQ

What is the purpose of Baidu's naming campaign for the Mars rover?

The campaign allows users to contribute names for China's first Mars rover while promoting scientific knowledge about space exploration.

When is the deadline for name submissions for the Mars rover?

The deadline for name submissions is August 12, 2020.

How does Baidu App engage users in the naming selection process?

Baidu App engages users by allowing them to submit ideas through a dedicated Smart Mini Program and participate in interactive activities.

What was the increase in search requests related to the Tianwen-1 mission?

Search requests about the Tianwen-1 mission surged by 1,560% within the hour following its successful launch.

Who are some notable figures involved in the Mars rover naming campaign?

Notable figures include astronauts Zhigang Zhai, Yang Liu, Jackie Chan, and Lang Lang, who provided name suggestions.