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The VIPER, or Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, was designed to search for water at the Moon’s South Pole and provide insights into the origin and distribution of lunar water read more
 "NASA gives up on Chandrayaan-3-like lunar mission, cancels $450 million rover amid budget woes")
The project was part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, which partners with American companies to deliver advanced science and technology payloads to the Moon. Image Credit: NASA
NASA has ended its VIPER program, which aimed to send a rover to explore the Moon’s far side for water sources. This decision, announced on July 17, 2024, comes after prolonged delays and escalating costs.
Initially scheduled for a November 2023 launch, the VIPER rover’s departure was first pushed to November 2024 due to the need for more ground testing. Subsequent supply chain and scheduling issues further delayed the launch to September 2025 before the program was ultimately cancelled.
The VIPER, or Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, was designed to search for water at the Moon’s South Pole and provide insights into the origin and distribution of lunar water.
The project was part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, which partners with American companies to deliver advanced science and technology payloads to the Moon. Astrobotic, a Pittsburgh-based company, was commissioned to transport the rover aboard its Griffin spacecraft.
Despite the VIPER program’s termination, Astrobotic still plans to land its Griffin spacecraft on the Moon in 2025, though it will no longer carry the VIPER rover. Instead, the rover’s components and instruments may be repurposed for future lunar missions.
Nicola Fox, NASA’s associate administrator of the science mission directorate, stated that NASA has several upcoming missions aimed at searching for ice and other resources on the Moon over the next five years. Fox emphasised that NASA would maximise the use of the technology and work developed for VIPER while preserving funds for other critical lunar missions.
Over $450 million has been invested in the VIPER project, reflecting NASA’s significant efforts to advance lunar exploration. The cancellation of VIPER highlights the challenges and complexities of space exploration, including the financial and logistical hurdles that can impact even well-funded projects.
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English (US) ·