The International Astronomical Union has named a crater at the Moon’s south pole after the Arctic explorer Matthew Henson, a Black man who in 1909 was one of the first people to stand at the very top of the world. The proposal to name the crater after Henson was put forward by Jordan Bretzfelder who is an Exploration Science summer intern with Lunar & Planetary Institute, in Houston.
About the Artemis Programme:
Artemis Programme was launched by NASA which aims to land the next slate of lunar explorers on the Henson Crater. They will be selected from NASA’s increasingly diverse astronaut pool. Henson Crater is located between Sverdrup and de Gerlache craters at the south pole of the Moon. This program provides a cornerstone to study planetary processes as well as to create the infrastructure to advance human exploration at the Moon and on Mars.
Who was Matthew Henson?
Henson was an experienced explorer and skilled carpenter & craftsman. He stood at the front lines of almost a dozen Arctic expeditions that were organized by Robert Peary over the period of 18 years, including the one that reached the North Pole. The final push of that expedition was made by Henson. He was born in Maryland in 1866.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
India finished their Asian Games 2026 with a fourth place performance after achieving an impressive…
The India national men’s hockey team retained their Asian Games title by defeating Malaysia 5-1…
The Indian wrestler Aman Sehrawat clinched the gold medal in men’s 57kg freestyle wrestling during…
PM Narendra Modi’s monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’ marked its 12-year anniversary on October…
World Animal Day to be celebrated on the 4th of October each year to make…
India secured gold in the men's cricket final of the Asian Games 2026 by beating…