NASA resurrects its VIPER moon rover for a 2027 mission with Blue Origin
NASA is resurrecting its Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) mission, which was previously called off due to delays and mounting costs. The agency has announced that VIPER will catch a ride to the moon with Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 1 lander in 2027 under the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. Blue Origin, which has not yet attempted a moon landing, is expected to demonstrate the delivery of the lander to the lunar surface later this year as part of another CLPS mission. If the mission is successful, VIPER will be deployed to the lunar South Pole to search for water ice and other resources that could support future missions. The data collected by VIPER could help identify the best locations for accessing lunar water, which would be valuable for future human exploration of the Moon.
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