You can win a cash prize from NASA by helping it name a new space robot. Space fans around the world have been urged by the US space agency to help it name a new free-flying robot that NASA is building. Plans are afoot to launch the robot to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2017. NASA will award the first-place winner with $1,000.

"We have this new free-flying robot that we're building. We don't know what to call it. 'Free-flying robot' sounds kind of boring and not all that exciting, so we're asking you to actually name the robot for us", said Jason Crusan, director of NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems division.

The robot would be remotely controlled at the ISS to move in order to get a better video angle. NASA has also fixed cash prizes for second, third and fourth places, with $500, $250 and $250 respectively. The contest is being organized by NASA in collaboration with Topcoder.

The new robot may look like similar to something out of 'Stars Wars'. It could be a small, ball-shaped droid that will use fans to move itself around the interior of the ISS. Developers want it to fly on its own, or be operated by remote control.

All you need to do to participate in the NASA challenge to name the new robot is register with Topcoder. Feedback on initial designs will be provided to participants on October 22 after they reach a checkpoint. The challenge ends on October 27 and officials will announce the winners of the competition on November 2.