NASA delayed the Viper Moon Rover’s Launch to 2024 from 2024 to Facilitate Lander Development
Statement Released by NASA
Statements were released by NASA or the National Aeronautics and Space Administration regarding updates on the VIPER Lunar Rover. According to reports that were based on these statements released the VIPER or Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover’s launch which was earlier set for November 2024 has been postponed. The postponement has slipped the date of launch forward to November 2024, delaying the target date by an exact year.
This sudden news of postponement has been brought to ensure minimum damage to the Rover. It is being done in light of a new testing scheme by the organization. More time has been allotted to this program for the Griffin Lander’s ground testing to prevent unwarranted damage to the VIPER Rover during its transit. The Griffin Lander is expected to deliver the VIPER to the lunar South Pole for exploration and testing purposes on the lunar craters and water ice sites. The Griffin Lander is known to be the landing vehicle that shall be used for the mission to successfully transit to the lunar surface.
What is the Viper?
The VIPER which stands for Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover is a water-hunting lunar project launched by NASA. Its mission is to reach the lunar South Pole and get a close view of the concentration of ice water. The scientists want to use this data as evidence to test whether the water could be used to sustain human exploration projects on Earth’s natural satellite. It is the first resource mapping mission carried out by NASA on any other celestial body.
The VIPER Rover was developed as a key element of NASA’s Artemis Project which is dated to launch in 2025. It aims to mark the return of humans to the moon and establish a research methodology to estimate whether the long-term survival of humans is possible. Researchers are also hopeful that it could play a significant role in transforming space exploration projects to farther planets and celestial bodies.
According to the Independent, the Rover is estimated to use its drill to sample and quantify the water bodies prevalent in the lunar terrain including the craters. Scientists predict that these craters may have deep shadows that have the ability to preserve water ice for over billions of years. This mission could be a stark change and possibility in the way researchers develop the extra-terrestrial study. Water Ice has previously proven to be highly useful to produce rocket fuel and potable water making this a fundamental project.
The development of VIPER and the Griffin Lander was partnered by NASA with the Pittsburg Astrobotic Company as a commercial partner. This project was fulfilled through the renowned agency’s CLPS or Commercial Lunar Payload Service Initiative. NASA has delivered Astrobotic a grant of 67.8 Million Dollars through the CLPS contract to accurately finish all the NASA mandatory tests for the launch of the vehicle and progression of the Mission.
Second Consecutive Delay of NASA Viper
Earlier in 2020, the development and launch of the Volatiles Investigation Polar Exploration Rover had been delayed. Statements from the authorities claimed that the additional timing available would be used to upgrade the water-hunting rover. The initial announcement was for the launch to commence in December 2022. However, that was further postponed to 2024 November and is now pushed forward to 2024.
The delay in launch is hoped to be fruitful as it shall ensure the reduced risk factor in the landing of the Rover initializing a good investigative start to the NASA-funded exploration project to discover the origin and distribution of water ice on the lunar craters and surfaces.
