posted 09-05-2023 10:13 AM               

Competition to name Australia's lunar rover

Australians have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to name an Aussie-built rover that will go to the Moon.

Australia, we're going to the Moon. The Australian Space Agency wants to bring the nation on its boldest adventure yet.

You have the chance to be part of history, with the opportunity to name Australia's lunar rover.

Trailblazer program

The Australian Space Agency, in partnership with NASA, is working with Australia's space industry to design and build an Australian-made rover. It's part of the Trailblazer program under the Moon to Mars initiative.

Drawing on Australia's world-leading remote operations expertise, the rover will collect lunar soil, known as regolith. NASA will attempt to extract oxygen from the sample. This is a key step towards a sustainable human presence on the Moon.

The rover will go to the Moon as part of a future Artemis mission by as early as 2026.

The competition

Australians can enter a name that will be in the running to be selected for the rover.

Individuals and schools across Australia can enter a rover name, along with a brief explanation for choosing it.

To get Australian students excited and engaged in the opportunity, schools can download a presentation and supporting materials.

• Name Australia's lunar rover: School presentation [PDF 2.89 MB]

• Name Australia's lunar rover: Supporting materials [PDF 822 KB]

• Name Australia's lunar rover: Supporting materials [DOCX 20.67 MB]

How to enter

The competition is now open. We will select a shortlist of 4 names from your entries and put them to a public vote. We'll announce the winner in December.

Enter the competition

Enter your details, rover name and brief explanation via our website survey. Entries close at 11:59pm (ADST) on Friday 20 October 2023.

Competition stages

Tuesday 5 September – Friday 20 October 2023

Competition open. Entries close at 11:59pm (ADST) on 20 October.

Monday 23 October – Friday 17 November 2023

Shortlisting process starts. Individuals or schools with shortlisted names notified.

Monday 20 November – Friday 1 December 2023

Public voting takes place.

Wednesday 6 December 2023

Winning rover name announced at the 16th Australian Space Forum in Sydney.

posted 11-21-2023 08:54 AM               

Australia, we’re going to the Moon!

From more than 8,000 entries, we've shortlisted four rover names that capture a sense of Australian Spirit. We now need you to vote for your favourite! The winning name will be engraved on the rover that will head to the Moon by as early as 2026.

The Final Four

• Coolamon

  Capturing the essence of our Indigenous heritage and connection to the land, a coolamon is a multi-purpose, sustainable tool used for gathering and carrying. It symbolises the balance between utility and respect for the environment, mirroring our approach to space exploration.

• Kakirra

  Translated from the Kaurna region in Adelaide, Kakirra means 'Moon'... and is a tribute to the history of Australia, just as the rover is about the future of this country. The rover is very important to lunar expeditions and is a big step for Australia.

• Mateship

  From the spirit of the Anzacs, to your mate at the local footy club, it's a crucial part of Australian culture. Whether you're young or old, live in the city or in the outback, we all possess this indescribable trait. Let's say 'G'Day Mate' to new horizons and the lunar surface.

• Roo-ver

  Our lunar rover deserves to be named after something iconically Australian, reflecting the Aussie spirit as we launch into this new endeavour. A kangaroo is part of the Australian Coat of Arms and it's time for Australian science to take the next leap all the way up into space.

Vote now

You have until 11:59PM (AEDT) on Friday, 1 December 2023 to cast your vote.

The winning rover name will be announced on Wednesday, 6 December 2023.

posted 12-06-2023 10:34 AM               

G'day Roo-ver

Australia's lunar rover named after nationwide competition.

The votes are in! Roo-ver is the name of Australia's rover that will head to the Moon with NASA in a future Artemis mission.

As part of a two-phase nationwide competition, which entailed 8,000 name entries and nearly 20,000 public votes, Roo-ver was announced as the winner from the top four shortlist. With 35 per cent of the votes, voters felt Roo-ver reflected the Australian spirit.

The other three shortlisted names for the public to consider were Coolamon, Kakirra and Mateship.

What's in the name?

Roo-ver was entered by Siwa from New South Wales who said:

"Our lunar rover deserves to be named after something iconically Australian, reflecting the Aussie spirit as we launch into this new endeavour. A kangaroo is part of the Australian Coat of Arms and it's time for Australian science to take the next leap all the way up into space."

Space matters

Reflecting on the competition, Head of the Australian Space Agency Enrico Palermo found the high engagement from the Australian public a promising sign for the future.

"This competition has been an important way for us to bring the Australian people with us on what is our 'boldest adventure yet.' With Roo-ver we can continue to inspire Australians by showing the boundary pushing work being done right here, and the ways that space benefits our everyday lives."

What is the lunar rover's mission?

The rover is being developed under the Trailblazer Program of the Australian Space Agency's flagship Moon to Mars initiative.

Two Australian consortiums – AROSE and ELO2 – are currently working on early-stage rover concepts. The Agency will assess and then select one of the consortia to design and develop the fully realised rover for its mission to the Moon.

Roo-ver will travel to the Moon on a NASA rocket as part of a future Artemis mission. Its primary role to collect lunar soil, known as regolith, from which oxygen will be extracted – a vital element to assessing sustainable human presence on the Moon and for future missions on to Mars.