NASA built a Moon rover but can't afford to get it to the launch pad
NASA cancels VIPER mission exploring Moon's south pole due to delays and cost overruns. Rover's importance in mapping lunar resources, especially water ice, remains unrealized as agency seeks partners or considers disassembly.
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NASA has decided to cancel the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) mission due to delays and cost overruns. The rover, designed to explore dark craters at the Moon's south pole, was part of NASA's Artemis program aiming to return astronauts to the lunar surface. Despite being fully built, VIPER faced delays pushing its launch to September 2025 and increasing its cost from $433 million to over $609 million. NASA couldn't afford the additional expenses without impacting other missions. The agency is now seeking interest from industry and international partners to use the rover at no cost, or it will disassemble it for future missions. Scientists expressed disappointment over the cancellation, highlighting VIPER's importance in mapping lunar resources, especially water ice. The rover, equipped with instruments to search for water ice, was crucial for future astronaut missions to utilize lunar resources. Despite being ready for testing, VIPER will not reach the Moon due to budget constraints, leaving its groundbreaking research potential unrealized.
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