Moon News  
MOON DAILY
NASA rover to search for water, other resources on Moon
by Staff Writers
Washington DC (SPX) May 27, 2021

The VIPER design has come a long way. Following completion of its formulation phase, the agency recently approved the rover to enter the mission development phase. VIPER progress continues moving full speed ahead. NASA's investment in the mid-size rover for mission development costs and operations is $433.5 million. The current delivery contract value for Astrobotic to deliver VIPER to the Moon through CLPS is approximately $226.5 million.

As part of the Artemis program, NASA is planning to send its first mobile robot to the Moon in late 2023 in search of ice and other resources on and below the lunar surface. Data from the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER, would help the agency map resources at the lunar South Pole that could one day be harvested for long-term human exploration at the Moon.

VIPER's design calls for using the first headlights on a lunar rover to aid in exploring the permanently shadowed regions of the Moon. These areas haven't seen sunlight in billions of years and are some of the coldest spots in the solar system. Running on solar power, VIPER will need to quickly maneuver around the extreme swings in light and dark at the lunar South Pole.

"The data received from VIPER has the potential to aid our scientists in determining precise locations and concentrations of ice on the Moon and will help us evaluate the environment and potential resources at the lunar south pole in preparation for Artemis astronauts," said Lori Glaze, director for NASA's Planetary Science Division at the agency's Headquarters in Washington. "This is yet another example of how robotic science missions and human exploration go hand in hand, and why both are necessary as we prepare to establish a sustainable presence on the Moon."

NASA awarded a task order to Astrobotic for VIPER's launch, transit and delivery to the lunar surface as part of the agency's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative.

Once on the Moon, the rover will explore lunar craters using a specialized set of wheels and suspension system to cover a variety of inclines and soil types. The rover's design significantly enhances upon a former robotic concept to prospect the Moon called Resource Prospector, which NASA canceled in early 2018. Since then, the VIPER mission duration was extended from one to three lunar days (100 Earth days). VIPER has evolved to increase its science capabilities, enabling more data collection at the lunar surface.

VIPER will carry four instruments, including the Regolith and Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrains (TRIDENT) hammer drill, the Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar Operations (MSolo) instrument, the Near Infrared Volatiles Spectrometer System (NIRVSS) and the Neutron Spectrometer System (NSS). Earlier versions of these instruments will be tested on the lunar surface ahead of the VIPER mission, allowing the team to reduce risk and test instrument performance data.

Slated to arrive via Astrobotic's first flight, MSolo, NVSS and NIRVSS are among the payloads that will land on the lunar surface on one of the first CLPS deliveries to the Moon. Versions of TRIDENT and MSolo will ride to the Moon in late 2022 aboard the Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment (PRIME-1) technology demonstration, delivered by Intuitive Machines on its second CLPS flight.

The VIPER design has come a long way. Following completion of its formulation phase, the agency recently approved the rover to enter the mission development phase. VIPER progress continues moving full speed ahead. NASA's investment in the mid-size rover for mission development costs and operations is $433.5 million. The current delivery contract value for Astrobotic to deliver VIPER to the Moon through CLPS is approximately $226.5 million.

"VIPER will be the most capable robot NASA has ever sent to the lunar surface and allow us to explore parts of the Moon we've never seen" said Sarah Noble, program scientist for VIPER at NASA Headquarters. "The rover will teach us about the origin and distribution of water on the Moon and prepare us to harvest resources 240,000 miles from Earth that could be used to safely send astronauts even farther into space, including Mars."

Throughout the Artemis program, NASA will send robots and humans to explore more of the Moon than ever before. When astronauts return to the lunar surface for the first time since 1972, they will follow in VIPER's wheel prints and land at the lunar South Pole. That mission will include landing the first woman on the Moon. She will be one of two crew members paving the way for sustainable lunar exploration missions with crew.


Related Links
Artemis Program at NASA
Mars News and Information at MarsDaily.com
Lunar Dreams and more


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


MOON DAILY
NASA rover to search for water, other resources on Moon
Washington DC (SPX) May 21, 2021
As part of the Artemis program, NASA is planning to send its first mobile robot to the Moon in late 2023 in search of ice and other resources on and below the lunar surface. Data from the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER, would help the agency map resources at the lunar South Pole that could one day be harvested for long-term human exploration at the Moon. VIPER's design calls for using the first headlights on a lunar rover to aid in exploring the permanently shadowed regi ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

MOON DAILY
China's Zhurong rover moves onto Martian surface to begin scientific operations

China's first Mars rover starts exploring red planet

Salts could be important piece of Martian organic puzzle

New ExoMars parachute ready for high altitude drop

MOON DAILY
Glenn researchers study new, futuristic concept to explore Titan

Johns Hopkins Scientists Model Saturn's Interior

Ocean currents predicted on Enceladus

Hubble Sees Changing Seasons on Saturn

MOON DAILY
Deep water on Neptune and Uranus may be magnesium-rich

Juice arrives at ESA's technical heart

New Horizons reaches a rare space milestone

New research reveals secret to Jupiter's curious aurora activity

MOON DAILY
Inhabiting 21st-century science fiction

When will the first baby be born in space?

Highest bid for Blue Origin's maiden voyage $2.6 million and climbing

Back to the space cradle

MOON DAILY
Nanostructured device stops light in its tracks

Scientists use DNA technology to build tough 3D nanomaterials

MOON DAILY
Virgin Galactic completes successful space flight

Roscosmos shows design of future nuclear-powered spacecraft

Merida Aerospace plans to begin rocket test launches in 2021

NASA fires up fourth RS-25 engine test

MOON DAILY
China postpones launch of robotic cargo spacecraft

Space station core module in orbit to prep for next stage of construction

China postpones launch of rocket carrying space station supplies

China's core space station module Tianhe completes in-orbit tests

MOON DAILY
Alpha Data Launches new Space Development Kit

Xplore opens satellite manufacturing facility to advance satellite production

Astroscale UK to develop space debris removal technology innovations with OneWeb

Air Force debuts virtual command and control platform









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.