NASA Explores Industry, Partner Interest in Using VIPER Moon Rover
NASA Space Technology As part of its commitment to a robust, sustainable lunar exploration program for the benefit of all, NASA issued a Request for Information Friday to seek interest from American companies and institutions in conducting a mission using the agency’s VIPER Moon rover.VIPER, short for Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, was designed to map the location and concentration of potential off-planet resources, like ice, on the South Pole of Earth’s Moon. NASA announced July 17 its intent to discontinue VIPER, and to pursue alternative methods to verify the presence of frozen water at the lunar South Pole, but could contribute the VIPER rover as-is to an interested partner.From July 17 to Aug. 1, NASA accepted expressions of interest from the broader community in using the existing VIPER rover system. The Request for Information...
