posted 10-25-2019 10:02 AM               

New VIPER Lunar Rover to Map Water Ice on the Moon

NASA is sending a mobile robot to the South Pole of the Moon to get a close-up view of the location and concentration of water ice in the region and for the first time ever, actually sample the water ice at the same pole where the first woman and next man will land in 2024 under the Artemis program.

About the size of a golf cart, the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER, will roam several miles, using its four science instruments — including a 1-meter drill — to sample various soil environments. Planned for delivery to the lunar surface in December 2022, VIPER will collect about 100 days of data that will be used to inform the first global water resource maps of the Moon.

"The key to living on the Moon is water – the same as here on Earth," said Daniel Andrews, the project manager of the VIPER mission and director of engineering at NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley. "Since the confirmation of lunar water-ice ten years ago, the question now is if the Moon could really contain the amount of resources we need to live off-world. This rover will help us answer the many questions we have about where the water is, and how much there is for us to use."

NASA's Artemis program begins a new era where robots and humans working together will push the boundaries of what's possible in space exploration. In collaboration with commercial and international partners, NASA's ambition is to achieve a long-term sustainable presence on the Moon – enabling humans to go on to Mars and beyond.

Above: NASA's Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER, is a mobile robot that will roam around the Moon's south pole looking for water ice. The VIPER mission will give us surface-level detail of where the water is and how much is available for us to use. This will bring us a significant step closer towards NASA's ultimate goal of a sustainable, long-term presence on the Moon – making it possible to eventually explore Mars and beyond. (NASA Ames/Daniel Rutter)

Scientists had long considered the lunar poles as promising spots to find water ice – a resource of direct value for humans that could provide oxygen to breathe and hydrogen and oxygen to fuel future landers and rockets. The Moon's tilt creates permanently shadowed regions where water ice from comet and meteor impacts, as well as the Sun's interaction with the lunar soil, can collect without being melted by sunlight. In 2009, NASA crashed a rocket into a large crater near the South Pole and directly detected the presence of water ice. Data from this mission and other orbiters have confirmed that the Moon has reservoirs of water ice, potentially amounting to millions of tons. Now, we need to understand the location and nature of the water and other potentially accessible resources to aid in planning how to extract and collect it.

"It's incredibly exciting to have a rover going to the new and unique environment of the South Pole to discover where exactly we can harvest that water," said Anthony Colaprete, VIPER's project scientist. "VIPER will tell us which locations have the highest concentrations and how deep below the surface to go to get access to water."

To unravel the mysteries of the Moon's South Pole, the rover will collect data on different kinds of soil environments affected by light and temperature – those in complete darkness, occasional light and in direct sunlight. By collecting data on the amount of water and other materials in each, NASA can map out where else water likely lies across the Moon.

Above: Pictured here is a VIPER mobility testbed, an engineering model created to evaluate the rover's mobility system. The testbed includes mobility units, computing and motor controllers. Testing involves evaluating performance of the rover as it drives over various slopes, textures and soils that simulate the lunar environment. (NASA/Johnson Space Center)

As the rover drives across the surface, it will use the Neutron Spectrometer System, known as NSS, to detect "wet" areas below the surface for further investigation. VIPER will then stop and deploy a drill, The Regolith and Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrain, or TRIDENT, developed with Honeybee Robotics, to dig up soil cuttings from up to a meter beneath the surface. These drill samples will then be analyzed by two instruments: the Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar Operations, or MSolo, developed out of NASA's Kennedy Space Center; and the Near InfraRed Volatiles Spectrometer System, known as NIRVSS, developed by Ames. MSolo and NIRVSS will determine the composition and concentration of potentially accessible resources, including water,that were brought up by TRIDENT.

VIPER is a collaboration within and beyond the agency. VIPER is part of the Lunar Discovery and Exploration Program managed by the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. Ames is managing the rover project, leading the mission's science, systems engineering, real-time rover surface operations and software development. The hardware for the rover is being designed by the Johnson Space Center, while the instruments are provided by Ames, Kennedy, and commercial partner, Honeybee Robotics. The spacecraft lander and launch vehicle that will deliver VIPER to the surface of the Moon, will be provided through NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) contract, delivering science and technology payloads to and near the Moon.

posted 06-11-2020 10:14 AM               

Astrobotic Awarded $199.5 Million Contract to Deliver NASA Moon Rover

Astrobotic's Griffin lunar lander to carry the NASA VIPER mission to the south pole of the Moon in 2023, as a precursor to a human landing

Astrobotic, the world's leading lunar logistics service provider, has been selected by NASA to deliver the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER, to the south pole of the Moon in 2023.

Above: VIPER egressing from Astrobotic's Griffin lunar lander on the moon's surface. (Astrobotic)

Astrobotic will provide an end-to-end delivery for VIPER on board the company's Griffin lunar lander through a $199.5 million contract awarded under the NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, or CLPS. Griffin's delivery of VIPER will be Astrobotic's second CLPS delivery, following the company's Peregrine lander delivery in 2021. In addition, Astrobotic's MoonRanger rover was previously selected by NASA for delivery to the Moon in 2022 on the lander of another CLPS partner.

The Griffin lunar lander is Astrobotic's medium capacity lander product line, and is capable of delivering up to 500 kg of mass to the lunar surface. Griffin uses many of the same subsystems and approaches employed by the Peregrine lander, which will fly two years before VIPER. Both lander product lines put a heavy emphasis on safe and reliable delivery of customer payloads to the Moon.

Above: VIPER egressing from Astrobotic's Griffin lunar lander on the moon's surface. (Astrobotic)

When VIPER disembarks from Griffin's ramps onto the Moon, it will survey the surface and subsurface for water ice, which could be used for breathable air and rocket propellant by future deep space explorers. VIPER's mapping of lunar water ice could be the first step toward utilizing resources in the space environment – rather than carting them all from Earth – to enable more affordable and sustainable space exploration.

"It is an enormous honor and responsibility to be chosen by NASA to deliver this mission of national importance," said Astrobotic CEO John Thornton. "Astrobotic's lunar logistics services were created to open a new era on the Moon. Delivering VIPER to look for water and setting the stage for the first human crew since Apollo embodies our mission as a company."

posted 06-11-2020 10:17 AM               

NASA Selects Astrobotic to Fly Water-Hunting Rover to the Moon

NASA has awarded Astrobotic of Pittsburgh $199.5 million to deliver NASA's Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) to the Moon's South Pole in late 2023.

The water-seeking mobile VIPER robot will help pave the way for astronaut missions to the lunar surface beginning in 2024 and will bring NASA a step closer to developing a sustainable, long-term presence on the Moon as part of the agency's Artemis program.

"The VIPER rover and the commercial partnership that will deliver it to the Moon are a prime example of how the scientific community and U.S. industry are making NASA's lunar exploration vision a reality," said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. "Commercial partners are changing the landscape of space exploration, and VIPER is going to be a big boost to our efforts to send the first woman and next man to the lunar surface in 2024 through the Artemis program."

VIPER's flight to the Moon is part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, which leverages the capabilities of industry partners to quickly deliver scientific instruments and technology demonstrations to the Moon. As part of its award, Astrobotic is responsible for end-to-end services for delivery of VIPER, including integration with its Griffin lander, launch from Earth, and landing on the Moon.

During its 100-Earth-day mission, the approximately 1,000-pound VIPER rover will roam several miles and use its four science instruments to sample various soil environments. Versions of its three water-hunting instruments are flying to the Moon on earlier CLPS lander deliveries in 2021 and 2022 to help test their performance on the lunar surface prior to VIPER's mission. The rover also will have a drill to bore approximately 3 feet into the lunar surface.

"CLPS is a totally creative way to advance lunar exploration," said NASA's Associate Administrator for Science Thomas Zurbuchen. "We're doing something that's never been done before – testing the instruments on the Moon as the rover is being developed. VIPER and the many payloads we will send to the lunar surface in the next few years are going to help us realize the Moon's vast scientific potential."

VIPER will collect data – including the location and concentration of ice – that will be used to inform the first global water resource maps of the Moon. Scientific data gathered by VIPER also will inform the selection of future landing sites for astronaut Artemis missions by helping to determine locations where water and other resources can be harvested to sustain humans during extended expeditions. Its science investigations will provide insights into the evolution of the Moon and the Earth-Moon system.

NASA has previously contracted with three companies to make CLPS deliveries to the Moon beginning in 2021. Astrobotic is scheduled to make its first delivery of other instruments to the lunar surface next year. In April, the agency released a call for potential future lunar surface investigations and received more than 200 responses. CLPS is planned to provide a steady cadence of two delivery opportunities to the lunar surface each year.

"It is an enormous honor and responsibility to be chosen by NASA to deliver this mission of national importance," said Astrobotic CEO John Thornton. "Astrobotic's lunar logistics services were created to open a new era on the Moon. Delivering VIPER to look for water, and setting the stage for the first human crew since Apollo, embodies our mission as a company."

VIPER is a collaboration between various NASA entities and agency partners. The spacecraft, lander and launch vehicle that will deliver VIPER to the surface of the Moon will be provided through NASA's CLPS initiative as a partnership with industry for delivering science and technology payloads to and near the lunar surface. CLPS is part of the Lunar Discovery and Exploration Program managed by the agency's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

The VIPER mission is part of SMDs Planetary Science Division. NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley is managing the VIPER mission, as well as leading the mission's science, systems engineering, real-time rover surface operations and flight software. The rover hardware is being designed and built by NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston and the instruments are provided by Ames, NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida and commercial partner Honeybee Robotics in Altadena, California.

posted 03-04-2021 05:27 AM               

NASA's Next Lunar Rover Progresses Toward 2023 Launch

NASA's new water-hunting mission to the Moon, the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER, has received agency-level approval to move from formulation into implementation of the final design of the rover. This puts the mission one step closer to launching to the Moon's South Pole in late 2023.

The decision follows VIPER passing the important preliminary design review milestone in August, in which the mission successfully demonstrated to NASA's Planetary Science Division and the independent VIPER review team that it can meet all the requirements with an acceptable level of risk within cost and schedule restraints.

The mission will provide the first surface-level mapping of ice and other resources on the lunar surface to further NASA's goal of establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon under the Artemis program.

"We're extremely pleased to see VIPER pass this important milestone," said Sarah Noble, VIPER program scientist at NASA Headquarters. "Scientific data gathered by VIPER will provide insight into the origin and distribution of water on the Moon, and help us prepare for human exploration by providing important information on the traversability, environment, and resources at the lunar poles."

Measuring 8 feet (2.5 meters) tall and 5 feet (1.5 meters) in length and width, this mid-sized rover is built for crawling around craters. By pioneering a new kind of wheel motion, NASA is engineering the rover to be agile enough to move through a variety of inclines and soil types – from compacted to fluffy – without getting stuck. Outfitted with sensitive instruments and a drill that can detect water molecules on and below the lunar surface, these components will allow the rover to study many characteristics of the Moon's polar water over the course of its mission, lasting up to 100 Earth days.

From extreme temperatures to near-real-time rover driving, the VIPER team faces some brand-new challenges operating on the Moon – different from those tackled by previous rover missions to Mars. VIPER will be NASA's first rover with headlights, capable of exploring permanently shadowed regions of the Moon that haven't seen sunlight in billions of years.

The extreme swings in light and dark at the poles of the Moon are nothing like those on Earth or Mars and produce extremely long and fast-moving shadows. The solar-powered VIPER must retreat from these advancing shadows as it seeks out the right zones to sample while maintaining communications with Earth. Periods of darkness in this lunar region can last multiple Earth days, so VIPER will periodically park in identified safe havens, where the periods of darkness are shorter. Combining all these constraints makes for complicated route planning.

"We're now ready to finish the design and operational planning for this rover, and then start building it," said Daniel Andrews, VIPER's project manager. "This team has worked incredibly hard, through a pandemic and many other challenges natural disasters to get us to this point – we're determined now to see it on the Moon."

posted 03-18-2021 10:32 AM               

NASA JSC Receives Griffin Lunar Lander Model for Rover Testing

NASA will test their VIPER rover for compatibility with Astrobotic's Griffin lunar lander.

After being transported more than 1,300 miles, Astrobotic's Griffin Lander Analog Model (GLAM) arrived at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) early this month. This model is an analog prototype of the Griffin lander that will deliver NASA's Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) to the Moon in 2023.

Astrobotic designed and constructed the GLAM at their "Moon Base" headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA. NASA JSC will use a VIPER prototype to test drive down the GLAM's ramps, ensuring the rover can easily maneuver across the ramp's angles and surfaces. GLAM is the first full-scale prototype that will endure hands-on hardware evaluations at NASA JSC. The model includes ramp mechanisms and interfaces that will support early joint integration and egress activities between Griffin and VIPER.

"Having a full-scale prototype of the Griffin lander and ramp mechanisms enables our team to work closely with NASA to optimize egress operations and the ramp design," says Daniel Gillies, Mission Director for Griffin Mission One, "We are already incorporating lessons learned during GLAM's build into our final design."

Above: Astrobotic employees Pete Frye and Lauren Whitehouse assemble the Griffin Lander Analog Model.

Above: Griffin Lander Analog Model. with ramps deployed.

Over the next few months, the Astrobotic and NASA teams will evaluate different ramp geometries and wheel engagement features between GLAM and a VIPER model to determine the optimal configuration for a safe VIPER egress on the lunar surface. These sorts of tests between spacecraft models are vital in yielding the highest probability of mission success.

GLAM is the first in a series of hardware prototypes being developed for Astrobotic's Griffin Mission One. Within the year, the Griffin structural test model will begin assembly, undergo qualification testing, and take part in a joint test campaign with NASA that will verify the final ramp design and egress operations for the VIPER rover. Components for the Griffin flight model lander are already on order and assembly will follow the completion of qualification towards the end of this year.

posted 03-29-2021 03:44 PM               

SNC Wins NASA Contract to Power Moon Rover

Solar Array Technology to be Used for South Pole Mission

Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) was awarded a contract for a program supporting NASA's water-hunting robot mission to the moon. SNC will contribute its cutting-edge solar array technology to power a rover on the lunar surface in its mission to identify and quantify water and volatile resources, helping advance the agency's Artemis program.

"SNC's solar arrays are truly game-changing and seeing them power a moon rover is a dream come true," said SNC's CEO Fatih Ozmen. "This mission adds to our long history of supporting interplanetary missions, including 14 missions to Mars where we have safely landed the rovers on the planet's surface."

NASA's Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) rover is targeted to land on the south pole of the moon in late 2023 for an approximate 100-day mission. The rover, a mobile robot, will be delivered to the lunar surface under NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative.

Powered by SNC's Surface Mount Technology (SMT) solar panels, the VIPER will get a close-up view of the location and concentration of water ice that could eventually be harvested to sustain human exploration on the moon, Mars and beyond.

"Our solar panels provide the rover with greater power and design flexibility at a lower cost than conventional ones," said Janet Kavandi, former NASA astronaut and executive vice president for SNC's Space Systems business area. "SNC's manufacturing process produces panels that have up to 15% higher power density than competitors, and greater reliability and resiliency."

The solar panels will provide full power for the rover operation during the mission, keeping the batteries charged and payload systems operating.

This contract builds on SNC's SMT solar power module technology applications for both NASA and commercial lunar vehicle applications.

posted 04-13-2021 11:42 AM               

Astrobotic Selects SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket for Griffin-VIPER Moon Mission

Astrobotic announced today [April 13] its selection of SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket in a competitive commercial procurement to launch its Griffin lunar lander to the Moon in late 2023. Griffin will be carrying NASA's water-hunting Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER).

"Getting to the Moon isn't just about building a spacecraft, but having a complete mission solution. SpaceX's Falcon Heavy completes our Griffin Mission 1 (GM1) solution by providing a proven launch vehicle to carry us on our trajectory to the Moon. SpaceX has the team, vehicle, and facilities to make this happen," says Daniel Gillies, GM1 Director for Astrobotic.

Astrobotic was awarded a task order in 2020 from NASA to deliver VIPER to the south pole of the Moon as part of the agency's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. After Falcon Heavy launches Griffin on a trajectory to the Moon, Griffin will land on the surface and VIPER will disembark from Griffin's ramps to survey the surface and subsurface for water ice. These surveys could be the first step toward utilizing resources in the space environment – rather than carting them all from Earth – to enable more affordable and sustainable space exploration. Griffin's delivery of VIPER will be Astrobotic's second CLPS delivery, following the company's Peregrine lander delivery later this year.

"Having previously sat on the other side of the table as a former SpaceX Mission Manager, I am fully aware of SpaceX's capabilities and processes and am excited to be working with SpaceX on a mission once again. My first exposure to Falcon Heavy was as a SpaceX Mission Integrator on the STP-2 mission and I'm proud to be utilizing that same launch vehicle for Griffin," says Gillies.

"Gaining a better learning of resources on the Moon is critical to advancing humanity's reach beyond Earth, and we are honored to support this exciting mission and NASA's CLPS program," said SpaceX Senior Director of Commercial Sales Stephanie Bednarek.

Griffin Mission One is targeted to launch in 2023 from SpaceX's facilities at Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida – the same launch site employed for the NASA Space Shuttle program, Commercial Crew Program, and Apollo missions. Work on the Griffin lunar lander is ongoing with qualification testing planned to be completed towards the end of this year.

posted 09-20-2021 04:46 PM               

NASA's Artemis Rover to Land Near Nobile Region of Moon's South Pole

In 2023, NASA's Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) will land near the western edge of the Nobile Crater at the Moon's South Pole to map and explore the region's surface and subsurface for water and other resources. Part of Artemis, VIPER will launch on a SpaceX Falcon-Heavy rocket for delivery to the Moon by Astrobotic's Griffin lander under NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative.

Above: A data visualization showing the mountainous area west of Nobile Crater and the smaller craters that litter its rim at the lunar South Pole. The region features areas permanently covered in shadow as well as areas that are bathed in sunlight most of the time. The terrain in the Nobile region is most suitable for the VIPER rover to navigate, communicate, and characterize potential water and other resources. (NASA)

The Moon's South Pole is one of the coldest areas in our solar system. No prior missions to the Moon's surface have explored it – scientists have thus far only studied the region using remote sensing instruments, including those on NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite.

Data from these and other missions helped scientists conclude that ice and other potential resources exist in permanently shadowed areas of the Moon near the poles. After an extensive landing site selection process, the mountainous area west of Nobile Crater was chosen as VIPER's landing site due to its rover-accessible terrain and array of nearby sites of scientific interest, including permanently shadowed areas.

"Once on the lunar surface, VIPER will provide ground truth measurements for the presence of water and other resources at the Moon's South Pole, and the areas surrounding Nobile Crater showed the most promise in this scientific pursuit" said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for science at NASA Headquarters. "The data VIPER returns will provide lunar scientists around the world with further insight into our Moon's cosmic origin, evolution, and history, and it will also help inform future Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond by enabling us to better understand the lunar environment in these previously unexplored areas hundreds of thousands of miles away."

Nobile Crater is an impact crater that was formed through a collision with another smaller celestial body, and is almost permanently covered in shadows, allowing ice to exist there. Smaller, more accessible craters surrounding Nobile's perimeter, will also provide VIPER with ideal locations to investigate in its search for ice and other resources.

"Selecting a landing site for VIPER is an exciting and important decision for all of us," Daniel Andrews, VIPER project manager, said. "Years of study have gone into evaluating the polar region VIPER will explore. VIPER is going into uncharted territory—informed by science—to test hypotheses and reveal critical information for future human space exploration."

Landing Site Selection

NASA's team evaluated viable rover traverse paths, taking into account where VIPER could use its solar panels to charge and stay warm during its 100-day journey. The area near Nobile Crater provided a lot of flexibility.

VIPER's currently planned trajectory allows the rover to visit at least six sites of scientific interest, with additional time to spare.

"Our evaluation of the landing site was driven by science priorities," said Anthony Colaprete, VIPER lead project scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California. "We seek answers to some pretty complex questions and studying these resources on the Moon that have stood the test of time will help us answer them."

The VIPER team aims to address how frozen water and other resources arrived on the Moon in the first place. They also plan to identify where they came from, how they remained preserved for billions of years, how they escape, and where they go.

VIPER's Journey Across the Nobile Region

The area VIPER will study in the Nobile region covers an approximate surface area of 36 square miles (93 square kilometers), 10 to 15 miles (16 to 24 km) of which VIPER is expected to traverse through during the course of its mission. During this time, the rover will visit carefully chosen areas of scientific interest that will provide further insight into a wide array of different kinds of lunar environments. The VIPER team will look to characterize ice and other resources in these areas using VIPER's sensors and drill.

As VIPER moves among each area of scientific interest, it will collect samples from at least three drill locations. Analysis of these samples from a variety of depths and temperatures will help scientists to better predict where else ice may be present on the Moon based on similar terrain, allowing NASA to produce a global resource map. This map, and the other science VIPER will produce, will allow scientists to better understand the distribution of resources on the Moon and help inform future crewed missions to establish a long-term presence on the lunar surface.

posted 02-17-2022 10:23 AM               

Griffin Lunar Test Model Complete

With this major milestone complete, the Structural Test Model for the largest lunar lander since the Apollo Lunar Module is now headed for environmental testing.

Astrobotic's second lunar lander mission, Griffin Mission One (GM1), has completed a major milestone toward flight by completing its Griffin Structural Test Model (STM). This full-scale model will undergo a series of rigorous tests to inform the final flight build of the Griffin lunar lander, scheduled to begin this year.

Comparable to the weight of an elephant, the fully loaded Griffin STM clocks in at more than 13,000 lbs, and is the largest lunar lander since Apollo's Lunar Module. The STM is a vital tool to ensure the Griffin lander can survive the harsh environments of launch. First, the STM will undergo static, then acoustic, and vibration testing at specialized facilities off-site.

"The STM's deck was hollowed out from a single 12ftx12ft aluminum sheet and has more than 2,500 bolts securing the primary structure alone. We constructed the STM as a pathfinder activity, allowing us to try out the tools, equipment, and processes before spaceflight," says Brandon Schoonmaker, Mechanical Systems Lead at Astrobotic.

Following this environmental test campaign, the Griffin model will be shipped to NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland to perform a final set of egress test sequences with a prototype of its cargo –NASA's water-hunting Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER. These tests will verify VIPER can successfully deploy to the lunar surface from Griffin's sizable ramps. It will also present an opportunity for rover operators to practice operating in tandem with Griffin.

After launching into space aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, Griffin will deliver VIPER to the lunar surface in late 2023 as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS), under the umbrella of the Artemis program. "With the completion of this major milestone, Griffin is one step closer to serving as America's workhorse lander for lunar cargo," said Astrobotic CEO, John Thornton.

posted 07-18-2022 06:00 PM               

NASA Replans CLPS Delivery of VIPER to 2024 to Reduce Risk

NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative allows rapid acquisition of lunar delivery services from American companies for payloads that advance capabilities for science, exploration or commercial development of the Moon. Through CLPS, NASA contracted Astrobotic of Pittsburgh to deliver the agency's Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) to the lunar surface in search of ice and other potential resources. The measurements returned by VIPER will provide insight into the origin and distribution of water on the Moon and help determine how the Moon's resources could be harvested for future human space exploration.

While VIPER was originally scheduled for lunar delivery by Astrobotic in November 2023, NASA has requested the Astrobotic and VIPER mission teams to adjust VIPER's delivery to the Moon's South Pole to November 2024.

NASA's decision to pursue a 2024 delivery date results from the agency's request to Astrobotic for additional ground testing of the company's Griffin lunar lander, which will deliver VIPER to the lunar surface through CLPS. The additional tests aim to reduce the overall risk to VIPER's delivery to the Moon. To complete the additional NASA-mandated tests of the Griffin lunar lander, an additional $67.8 million has been added to Astrobotic's CLPS contract, which now totals $320.4 million.

"Through CLPS, NASA has tasked U.S. companies to perform a very challenging technological feat – to successfully land and operate on the Moon," said Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for exploration in NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. "VIPER is NASA's largest and most sophisticated science payload to be delivered to the Moon through CLPS, and we've implemented enhanced lander testing for this particular CLPS surface delivery."

CLPS is a key part of NASA's Artemis lunar exploration plans. The science and technology payloads sent to the Moon's surface will help lay the foundation for human missions on and around the Moon. The agency has made seven task order awards to CLPS providers for lunar deliveries between in the early 2020s with more delivery awards expected through 2028.

posted 07-17-2024 03:18 PM               

NASA Ends VIPER Project, Continues Moon Exploration

Following a comprehensive internal review, NASA announced Wednesday (July 17) its intent to discontinue development of its VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) project.

NASA stated cost increases, delays to the launch date, and the risks of future cost growth as the reasons to stand down on the mission. The rover was originally planned to launch in late 2023, but in 2022, NASA requested a launch delay to late 2024 to provide more time for preflight testing of the Astrobotic lander. Since that time, additional schedule and supply chain delays pushed VIPER's readiness date to September 2025, and independently its CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) launch aboard Astrobotic's Griffin lander also has been delayed to a similar time. Continuation of VIPER would result in an increased cost that threatens cancellation or disruption to other CLPS missions. NASA has notified Congress of the agency's intent.

"We are committed to studying and exploring the Moon for the benefit of humanity through the CLPS program," said Nicola Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington. "The agency has an array of missions planned to look for ice and other resources on the Moon over the next five years. Our path forward will make maximum use of the technology and work that went into VIPER, while preserving critical funds to support our robust lunar portfolio."

Moving forward, NASA is planning to disassemble and reuse VIPER's instruments and components for future Moon missions. Prior to disassembly, NASA will consider expressions of interest from U.S. industry and international partners by Thursday, Aug. 1, for use of the existing VIPER rover system at no cost to the government. The project will conduct an orderly close out through spring 2025.

Astrobotic will continue its Griffin Mission One within its contract with NASA, working toward a launch scheduled for no earlier than fall 2025. The landing without VIPER will provide a flight demonstration of the Griffin lander and its engines.

NASA will pursue alternative methods to accomplish many of VIPER's goals and verify the presence of ice at the lunar South Pole. A future CLPS delivery – the Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1) — scheduled to land at the South Pole during the fourth quarter of 2024, will search for water ice and carry out a resource utilization demonstration using a drill and mass spectrometer to measure the volatile content of subsurface materials.

Additionally, future instruments as part of NASA's crewed missions – for example, the Lunar Terrain Vehicle — will allow for mobile observations of volatiles across the south polar region, as well as provide access for astronauts to the Moon's permanently shadowed regions for dedicated sample return campaigns. The agency will also use copies of three of VIPER's four instruments for future Moon landings on separate flights.

The VIPER rover was designed to search Earth's Moon for ice and other potential resources – in support of NASA's commitment to study the Moon and help unravel some of the greatest mysteries of our solar system. Through NASA's lunar initiatives, including Artemis human missions and CLPS, NASA is exploring more of the Moon than ever before using highly trained astronauts, advanced robotics, U.S. commercial providers, and international partners.