Agency Seeking PPP To Land And Operate Exploration Mission

NASA announced on February 3, 2025, a request for proposals for a public-private partnership with industry to land and operate its Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) lunar mission, a part of NASA’s Artemis campaign to demonstrate the ability of U.S. industry to search for ice and collect science data on the Moon.

NASA’s announcement for partnership proposals contains instructions and criteria it will use for evaluating a new Lunar Volatiles Science Partnership. The deadline for submitting proposals is Thursday, February 20, 2025.

Submissions will be evaluated, and those selected will be required to submit a second, more detailed proposal. The agency will make a decision on VIPER mission proposals in summer 2025.

Nicky Fox, associate administrator in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, said, “Moving forward with a VIPER partnership offers NASA a unique opportunity to engage with the private sector. Such a partnership provides the opportunity for NASA to collect VIPER science that could tell us more about water on the Moon, while advancing commercial lunar landing capabilities and resource prospecting possibilities.”

Any partnership entered into would be conducted under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement, allowing both NASA and its private sector partner to contribute technology, services, and hardware to the project.

Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for exploration in the Science Mission Directorate provided further explanation saying, “Being selected for the VIPER partnership would benefit any company interested in advancing their lunar landing and surface operations capabilities.

“This solicitation seeks proposals that clearly describe what is needed to successfully land and operate the rover, and invites industry to propose their own complementary science goals and approaches. NASA is looking forward to partnering with U.S. industry to meet the challenges of performing volatiles science in the lunar environment.”

FMI:  science.nasa.gov/