NASA cancels moon rover mission

The Viper rover was scheduled to launch in late 2023 on a lander provided by Astrobotic Technology, but the space agency said additional testing and rising costs had delayed the mission, threatening other projects.

The Viper rover at NASA's Johnson Space Center. Photo: NASA

The rover is intended to explore the south pole of the Moon. NASA says it has spent about $450 million on the Viper rover's development so far.

The announcement comes days before the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission that landed Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the Moon on July 20, 1969. NASA said it plans to study the presence of ice on the Moon through other projects.

“We are committed to studying and exploring the Moon for the benefit of humanity through the CLPS (Cyber Payload Program) program,” said Nicola Fox, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.

Meanwhile, Astrobotic still plans to launch its Griffin lunar lander late next year without the Viper rover. The company’s first trip to the moon ended in failure in January with a violent splashdown in the South Pacific .

The Viper rover is designed to search for ice and other potential resources on the Moon, supporting NASA's commitment to studying the Moon and helping solve some of the Solar System's greatest mysteries.

Through NASA's lunar initiatives, including the Artemis and CLPS manned missions, NASA is exploring more of the Moon than ever before with contributions from highly trained astronauts, advanced robotics, U.S. commercial providers, and international partners.

Ngoc Anh (according to NASA)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nasa-huy-su-menh-xe-tu-hanh-tren-mat-trang-do-chi-phi-cao-post303979.html