Vote for the name of the first Canadian rover on the Moon!
Dec. 10, 2024
Global Korean Post
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Canada’s first lunar rover will navigate the surface of the Moon to test new technologies and better understand the lunar geology and environment. It will also help in the international search for water ice.
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) wants its name to be representative of the mission or to allude to Canada’s legacy or future in space. The rover will be the first in a series of anticipated lunar rovers, and its name should be inspiring!
All Canadians are invited to vote for the name of the Canadian lunar rover. One vote per person. Voting is open from November 20 to December 20, 2024.
Possible names for the rover
Which of these names is your favourite?
- Athabasca: Athabasca is a river flowing from the Rockies through Alberta to Lake Athabasca. Canada’s rivers and streams have been the routes of the continent for millennia and continue to be pathways of discovery, transport and exchange. The names of the rivers also reflect Canada’s diversity and heritage: Athabasca originates from a Cree word that means “grass or reeds here and there.” Future rovers from our fleet could continue this trend by taking names of other Canadian natural wonders.
- Courage: To be brave and confident to do what you believe in, Courage is representative of the work that has led to the Canadian lunar rover. This lunar rover mission is the outcome of over two decades of building and refining our expertise in rover technology with Canadian industry and academia.
- Glacier: Glaciers are made of ice, and that is what the rover will be looking for: water in the form of ice. The name also appeals to Canada’s northness: glaciers are important features of Canada’s West and Arctic. Our country is home to approximately 20% of Earth’s glacier ice volume (excluding the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets).
- Pol-R: Creative spelling of Polar, which refers to regions close to the North Pole or South Pole. A big part of Canada is located in the north polar circle, and the rover mission will be landing in the south polar region of the Moon.
