Help Name Canada’s First Moon Rover: Vote Now for Your Favorite!
Canada is preparing to send a rover to the moon and needs your help to name it. The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is inviting global participation in naming the rover, launching no earlier than 2026. You can vote on your favorite name until December 20.
This rover is part of Canada’s contributions to a series of moon missions. Canada is collaborating with NASA on the Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the moon in the coming years. CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen will participate in Artemis 2, expected to orbit the moon next year.
The rover will explore the moon’s south pole, where it will gather data and search for water ice. The project, announced in 2021, will be developed by Canadensys Aerospace, a company based near Toronto.
Here are the names you can choose from, along with their meanings:
- Athabasca: Named after a river in Canada, symbolizing the routes of discovery and the nation’s rich heritage.
- Courage: Represents bravery and the work that has gone into developing Canadian rover technology.
- Glacier: Reflects the rover’s mission to find ice and highlights Canada’s significant glacier presence.
- Pol-R: A creative spelling of “Polar,” linking to Canada’s geography and the rover’s landing site in the moon’s south polar region.
Engage in the naming process and be a part of this historic mission!