{"id":261049,"date":"2021-05-27T18:34:25","date_gmt":"2021-05-27T15:34:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/nasas-viper-rover-to-look-for-water-resources-on-moon\/"},"modified":"2021-05-27T18:34:25","modified_gmt":"2021-05-27T15:34:25","slug":"nasas-viper-rover-to-look-for-water-resources-on-moon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/nasas-viper-rover-to-look-for-water-resources-on-moon\/","title":{"rendered":"#NASA\u2019s VIPER rover to look for water, resources on moon"},"content":{"rendered":"

“#NASA\u2019s VIPER rover to look for water, resources on moon<\/strong>”<\/p>\n

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NASA\u2019s\u00a0ambitious\u00a0lunar program Artemis\u00a0will send the agency\u2019s\u00a0first mobile robot\u00a0to the moon in late 2023.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, also known as VIPER, would search the\u00a0planet\u00a0for ice and other resources on and below its surface that could potentially be harvested for long-term\u00a0exploration\u00a0in the future.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Using the first-ever headlights on a lunar rover, VIPER will explore the lunar South Pole and \u201cpermanently\u201d dark regions of the moon \u2013 some of the coldest areas in the\u00a0solar system.<\/p>\n

In a recent release<\/a>, NASA wrote that the mid-size rover would need to work quickly to \u201cmaneuver around the extreme swings in light and dark,\u201d and that it would explore the craters using a \u201cspecialized set of wheels and suspension system to cover a variety of inclines and soil types.\u201d<\/p>\n

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NASA is planning to send its first mobile robot to the Moon in 2023 in search of ice and other lunar resources. The findings by NASA’s VIPER rover will help teams prepare for future exploration of the Moon by #Artemis<\/a> astronauts. DETAILS >> https:\/\/t.co\/7ZQ49NfiyG<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NASA_SLS (@NASA_SLS) May 24, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

The\u00a0task order was awarded to private space robotics company Astrobotic<\/a>\u00a0to launch, carry and deliver the VIPER \u2013 an upgraded version of the former robotic concept to prospect the moon called Resource Prospector,\u00a0which NASA canceled in early 2018<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The joint effort is notably part of NASA\u2019s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS<\/a>) initiative.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The rover will carry\u00a0four instruments<\/a>\u00a0to the moon on Astrobotic\u2019s first flight, including the Regolith and Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrains (TRIDENT) hammer drill, the Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar Operations (MSolo) instrument, the Near-Infrared Volatiles Spectrometer System (NIRVSS) and the Neutron Spectrometer System (NSS).\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Then-Vice
Then-Vice President Mike Pence examines the VIPER engineering test unit with VIPER project manager and director of engineering at NASA\u2019s Ames Research Center Daniel Andrews (center) and VIPER project scientist Anthony Colaprete (left) at Ames on Thursday; in California\u2019s Silicon Valley. Thursday; Nov. 14, 2019. <\/figcaption>
NASA\/Dominic Hart<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Notably, earlier versions of TRIDENT and MSolo will journey to the moon in late 2022 onboard the Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment (PRIME-1<\/a>) technology<\/a> demonstration.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe data received from VIPER has the potential to aid our scientists in determining precise locations and concentrations of ice on the moon and will help us evaluate the environment and potential resources at the lunar south pole in preparation for Artemis astronauts,\u201d Lori Glaze, director for NASA\u2019s Planetary Science<\/a> Division at the agency\u2019s headquarters, said in a statement. \u201cThis is yet another example of how robotic science missions and human exploration go hand in hand and why both are necessary as we prepare to establish a sustainable presence on the moon.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The price tag for the rover\u2019s mission development and operations is $433.5 million.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The delivery contract value for Astrobotic to deliver VIPER to the moon is around $226.5 million.<\/p>\n

Astrobotic\u00a0is partnering with SpaceX, using the\u00a0Elon Musk-owned<\/a>\u00a0company\u2019s Falcon Heavy rocket to launch VIPER and Astrobotic\u2019s Griffin lunar lander\u00a0from NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center<\/a>.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cSpaceX\u2019s Falcon Heavy completes our \u2026 solution by providing a proven launch vehicle to carry us on our trajectory to the moon. SpaceX has the team, vehicle and facilities to make this happ<\/a>en,\u201d Daniel Gillies, mission director for Astrobotic,\u00a0said in a statement put about by Astrobotic<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Griffin lunar lander\u2019s qualification testing process is expected to be finished by the end of 2021.\n <\/p><\/div>\n