In a surprising move aimed at optimizing resources and prioritizing cost-effective lunar exploration, NASA has cancelled its $450 million VIPER mission, citing cost increases, delays, and and potential risks associated with continuing the mission.
Credit: NASA
Initially scheduled to launch in late 2023, the VIPER rover was designed to search for ice and other resources on the Moon's surface. However, delays in preflight testing and supply chain issues pushed the launch date to September 2025, coinciding with the delayed launch of the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) mission aboard Astrobotic's Griffin lander.
NASA cited the potential for increased costs and the risk of disrupting other CLPS missions as the primary reasons for discontinuing the VIPER project. Despite this setback, the agency remains committed to exploring the Moon through alternative methods, including the reuse of VIPER's instruments and components in future missions.
Repurposing VIPER's Components
NASA plans to disassemble VIPER and repurpose its instruments and components for future Moon missions. "NASA is planning to disassemble and reuse VIPER’s instruments and components for future Moon missions," the agency noted. Before disassembly, NASA will consider expressions of interest from U.S. industry and international partners by August 1, 2024, for using the existing VIPER rover system at no cost to the government.
"We are dedicated to studying and exploring the Moon for the benefit of humanity through the CLPS program," said Nicola Fox, associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate. "Our path forward will maximize the use of technology and work invested in VIPER, while preserving critical funds to support our robust lunar portfolio."
NASA also plans to use copies of three of VIPER’s four instruments in future Moon landings. The VIPER rover was originally designed to explore the Moon for ice and other valuable resources, advancing NASA’s mission to investigate our lunar neighbor and uncover key mysteries within our solar system. The agency will also pursue alternative missions to achieve VIPER's goals, including the Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1), scheduled to launch in late 2024. Additionally, future crewed missions, such as the Lunar Terrain Vehicle, will enable mobile observations of volatiles across the south polar region and provide access to permanently shadowed regions for sample return campaigns.
The discontinuation of VIPER marks a strategic shift in NASA's lunar exploration efforts, prioritizing cost-effectiveness and resource optimization. As the agency continues to push the boundaries of space exploration, it remains committed to unraveling the mysteries of the Moon and beyond.
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