Australia sets its sights on the Moon, plans rover launch with NASA by 2026

Australia's lunar mission is part of the Trailblazer program of the NASA Moon to Mars mission. (Representative Image source: Video screengrab from Australian Space Agency/YouTube)

Japan is on its way to join the race to the Moon after the successful launch of its lunar probe Smart Lander for Investigating the Moon (SLIM) onboard the H-IIA launch vehicle from the Tanegashima Space Centre on September 7. This follows India's historic achievement on August 23, when it became the fourth country to successfully soft-land a spacecraft on the Moon, joining the ranks of the United States, Russia, and China. And now, Australia is preparing to be part of the lunar frenzy.

Australia has formally announced the lunar exploration. With the help of NASA's Artemis programme, the Australian space agency has announced its plans to start a lunar rover mission, with a launch as early as 2026.

The Australian Government also sharing the plans to dispatch its inaugural lunar rover to the Moon, said on social networking platform X that the country's space agency 'is bringing the nation on its boldest adventure yet'.

An Australian-made rover is being developed by the Australian Space Agency in partnership with NASA, it said. It’s part of the Trailblazer program of the NASA Moon to Mars mission.

The primary task of the rover is to collect lunar soil from the Moon and deliver it to a NASA payload. The next step for this cargo is to try and get oxygen out of the lunar sample. This payload will then extract oxygen from the lunar sample. This is a key step towards establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon. It will also support future missions to Mars.

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Name-the-rover contest

The Australian government is in search of the perfect name for Australia's first lunar rover. To choose a name for Australia's forthcoming lunar rover, a contest has been organised by it. Australians are asked to take part by sending their details, a suggested name for the rover, and a brief explanation. The contest is open to both individuals and schools. A shortlist of four names will be chosen from the submitted entries for a public vote. The winning rover name will be announced on December 6, 2023, in Sydney, at the 16th Australian Space Forum.

The competition is currently accepting entries, and the deadline for entries is set for 11:59 pm (ADST) on October 20, 2023.