KATHMANDU, AUGUST 4

The US Geological Survey (USGS), America's largest water, earth, and biological science and civilian mapping agency, has named a crater at the Moon's South Pole after the first Nepali woman to summit Mt. Everest, Pasang Lhamu Sherpa.

"Pasang Lhamu Sherpa was the first Nepalese woman to summit Everest and now has a crater named for her on the summit of an important lunar South Pole mountain," the USGS announced.

The announcement was made after the International Astronomical Union, the internationally recognized authority for naming celestial bodies and their surface features, approved the name of the crater as 'Lhamu Crater' on July 29.

"On behalf of the Pasang Lhamu Sherpa family, we would like to thank the USGS/IAU for naming a crater 'Lhamu' on the Moon's South Pole," Pasang Lhamu's husband, Lhakpa Sonam Sherpa, said.

On April 22, 1993, Pasang Lhamu created mountaineering history by becoming the first Nepalese woman to successfully scale the world's highest peak. While descending, the climbers were hit with bad weather. She died on the descent near the south summit on Mt. Everest.

In Nepal, the government has already declared Pasang Lhamu a National Luminary of the country and has named the Jasamba Mountain (7,315m) in the Mahalangur Range as Pasang Lhamu Mountain. The 117 km-long highway from Trishuli to Dhunche has also been named Pasang Lhamu Highway. Postage stamps have also been published in her name.