Rover VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Explorer Rover), created by NASA to search for water ice on the Moon, got a second life. It is planned to be delivered to the surface of the satellite at the end 2027 year using the Blue Moon Mark lander 1 from Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin company.
The VIPER mission is part of the Artemis program, which aims to create a permanent human presence on the Moon by 2030 year. The main region of research will be the south pole of the Moon, where, as scientists believe, contain significant deposits of water ice. This resource can be used as life support, as well as for the production of rocket fuel.
Initially, VIPER was planned to be launched in 2023 year on the Astrobotic company's Griffin apparatus. However, persistent delays in the development of both systems delayed the mission, and in the summer 2024 NASA announced its cancellation due to budget overruns. At that time, about 450 million dollars, and its liquidation made it possible to save even more 84 million. The possibility of integrating the scientific instruments of VIPER into other lunar vehicles was considered.
However, already in 2025 Last year, the agency revised its plans and signed a new agreement within the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program (CLPS) із Blue Origin. A contract has potential value 190 million dollars and provides for the delivery of a rover to the south pole of the Moon.
Under the terms of the agreement, Blue Origin will be responsible for the architecture of the landing mission, integration of the rover into the Blue Moon platform and its landing on the surface. Scientific research itself, which will last close 100 days, will be coordinated by NASA. The contract does not include the launch of the mission, landing works only.
Source: https://www.space.com