NASA is seemingly giving its ice-scouting moon rover mission one other attempt. The house company has introduced that the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) undertaking — which was referred to as off final yr after a sequence of delays and mounting prices — may catch a trip to the moon with Blue Origin in 2027 underneath the Business Lunar Payload Providers (CLPS) program. Blue Origin should first plan and display how the supply on the lunar floor would work, and if it is all to NASA’s liking, VIPER can be ferried by the corporate’s Blue Moon Mark 1 lander.
Blue Origin hasn’t but tried a moon touchdown, however the first alternative for its Blue Moon Mark 1 lander is predicted to launch later this yr as a part of one other CLPS supply. That mission may also assist to tell NASA’s choice about VIPER’s rideshare, which might use a second Mark 1 lander that the company says is already in manufacturing. If VIPER does ultimately make it to the moon, it’s going to be deployed within the excessive setting of the lunar South Pole to seek for water ice and different sources that might help future missions.
“This supply may present us the place ice is most definitely to be discovered and best to entry, as a future useful resource for people,” mentioned Joel Kearns, Deputy Affiliate Administrator for Exploration with NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, in an announcement. “And by learning these sources of lunar water, we additionally acquire worthwhile perception into the distribution and origin of volatiles throughout the photo voltaic system, serving to us higher perceive the processes which have formed our house setting and the way our interior photo voltaic system has advanced.”