NASA gearing up for new moon exploration missions, invites third parties to join

Shortly known as VIPER, NASA's Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover is a lunar rover project that is based on the Resource Prospector rover concept, which was cancelled in 2018. Unfortunately, NASA announced last month that the VIPER project is shutting down. Luckily, the private sector and even other state-owned American institutions still have time to save this moon exploration project, as NASA accepted "expressions of interest from the broader community in using the existing VIPER rover system" from July 17th to August 1st and is now waiting for additional information about the plans of the interested parties in using the VIPER program "at minimal to no cost to the government."

According to Nicola Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, "We want to make the best use possible of the engineering, technology, and expertise that have been developed by this project to advance scientific knowledge of the Moon." She also added that "Partnership opportunities on VIPER would allow us to do this without impacting our future cadence of commercial deliveries to the Moon, to continue lunar science and exploration for everyone’s benefit."

Until its cancellation, the VIPER project had amassed a total cost of $450 million. Last month, NASA expected to save about $84 million by shutting it down. The initial project budget was $433.5 million, while the launch of the lander had a budgeted figure of $235.6 million. The space agency is still planning to launch the Griffin lander in the fall of 2025, but — at least until one of the interested parties comes up with a solid commitment — a mass simulator would be used instead of the rover. Even if the rover will not be used, NASA is planning to accomplish the objectives of the VIPER project in the coming years via other missions.

The rover is similar to a golf cart in size, and its purpose is to look for resources on the moon, with a focus on water ice, its distribution, as well as its depth and purity. Expected to operate on the western edge of Nobile crater on Mons Mouton, the VIPER rover is the first such vehicle with its own lighting source. If NASA doesn't succeed in finding a reliable commitment to keep the project alive, the rover could be dismantled in less than a month.

Although not directly connected to this project, Katherine Johnson is one of the people who made the first moon mission possible. Her autobiography can be acquired from Amazon in paperback, hardcover, Kindle, and audiobook formats.