Thylacoleo going to the Moon?

[Ian Thomas]

Questers. There's this competition.

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.
5 September 2023
www.industry.gov.au/news/competition-to-name-australias-lunar-rover

So, I proposed 'Thylacoleo' as the name for Australia's first ever lunar rover.
Mainly because, well ... not that many people even know who or what Thylacoleo was - the beast is by no means as famous as the Thylacine. It would, therefore, attract interest and inquiry: good PR for our Space Agency and for NASA.

Besides, NASA's Moon to Mars mission is part of their Artemis Project, whose goal is to establish a crewed base on the lunar surface.

NASA Details Strategy Behind Blueprint for Moon to Mars Exploration
Under Artemis, NASA has set a vision to explore more of the Moon than ever before. With the crew for Artemis II recently named, the agency plans to return humans to the Moon and establish a cadence of missions including at the lunar south polar region.
www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/nasa-details-strategy-behind-blueprint-for-moon-to-mars-exploration/

Why is that of any significance?

As we know from Greek mythology, Artemis was a huntress. Seeing as Thylacoleo was likewise a hunter, the name seemed to mesh because of the goddess's association with wild animals.

Artemis
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemis

Realistically, Thylacoleo's odds of winning the competition are close to zero, imho. The committee may well go for some politically palatable aboriginal-themed name. Or alternatively, a better known cutesy-cuddly type of critter like Koala or Wallaby or what-have-you.

And the prize? The winner gets a cutesy-cuddly soft-toy, to wit a 'Kanganaut' 🦘 plus a small collection of badges'n'baubles. 

Extremely improbable but who knows? Thylacoleo might go to the Moon?

[vincent]

Thylacoleo might go to the Moon?

That would be a delight.