Costs, Delays, and Future Expenses Shut Down Polar Explorer

NASA has announced the end of its Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, putting the VIPER for good.

It's an unfortunate end but an understandable one. Originally, the rover was slated to launch in late 2023, but delays in development and preflight testing nudged that date to 2024, and eventually on to September of 2025. The Commercial Lunar Payload Services launch to take it up would have taken place using Astrobotic's Griffin lander, which was delayed to about the same time. As such, NASA said that "continuation of VIPER would result in an increased cost that threatens cancellation or disruption to other CLPS missions".

Things aren't too sad for the VIPER program though, since its parts will be disassembled and reused for other missions going forward. Prior to starting the disassembly process, NASA will "consider expressions of interest from industry and international partners by August 1 for use of the existing VIPER rover system at no cost to the government". That may be a good shot for someone to pick up the project and run with it, if they can afford the launch.

“We are committed to studying and exploring the Moon for the benefit of humanity through the CLPS program,” said Nicola Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington.

“The agency has an array of missions planned to look for ice and other resources on the Moon over the next five years. Our path forward will make maximum use of the technology and work that went into VIPER, while preserving critical funds to support our robust lunar portfolio.”

FMI: www.nasa.gov