NASA’s VIPER Moon Rover Resurrected: Blue Origin to Deliver Ice Hunter in 2027
NASA’s VIPER Moon Rover Resurrected: Blue Origin to Deliver Ice Hunter in 2027
NASA has officially confirmed the revival of its Volatiles Investigating Polar Explorer Rover (VIPER) mission, announcing today that Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin will transport the ice-hunting robot to the lunar surface in late 2027. This new agreement marks a significant turnaround for the VIPER mission, which had previously faced cancellation.
The VIPER rover is designed to meticulously search for and analyze water ice at the Moon’s south polar region. This critical resource is vital for NASA’s long-term Artemis program, aiming to establish a sustainable human presence on and around the Moon by 2030, as water ice can be used for life support and converted into rocket fuel.
The mission’s journey has been fraught with challenges. Originally slated for a late 2023 launch with Astrobotic’s Griffin lander, VIPER encountered multiple delays before NASA announced its cancellation in July 2024 due to budget overruns, despite the rover being fully assembled. The agency then sought private partnerships, eventually halting that search in May of this year, promising a new strategy.
Today’s announcement reveals that new strategy: a Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) contract with Blue Origin, valued at up to $190 million. Blue Origin will utilize its robotic Blue Moon Mark 1 lander for the delivery, with NASA retaining responsibility for the scientific operations once VIPER is deployed. This collaboration underscores NASA’s commitment to leveraging private industry for cost-effective and robust lunar exploration, paving the way for future human missions.
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