NASA Cancels VIPER Rover Project Due to Cost and Delays Despite Significant Progress

NASA Cancels VIPER Rover Project Due to Cost and Delays Despite Significant Progress
Image credit: NASA

NASA has announced the cancellation of its Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) project, which was intended to search for water ice at the moon's south pole. This decision comes after the agency cited "cost increases, delays to the launch date, and risks of future cost growth" as the primary reasons for discontinuing the rover's development.

Despite the project's cancellation, NASA has already invested $450 million in developing VIPER, assembling the rover, and installing its scientific instruments. However, the rover still needs to undergo a series of tests to ensure it can withstand a rocket launch and the harsh conditions of outer space. Joel Kearns, NASA's Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration, stated that canceling the project would save at least $84 million by avoiding these tests and the rover's operational costs.

The VIPER mission was first announced in 2019 with an initial launch date set for late 2022. Due to various issues, including supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the launch was delayed to late 2024, and further complications pushed it to September 2025 at the earliest. Concerns over additional expenses if further delays occurred contributed to the decision to cancel the project.

NASA carrying out test on the VIPER
Image credit: NASA Science 

NASA plans to disassemble the VIPER rover and repurpose its instruments and components for future missions. The agency is also open to proposals from American and international companies interested in using the rover, provided it does not incur additional costs for the US government.

While the VIPER project has been canceled, the planned flight to carry the rover to the moon will still proceed. NASA selected Astrobotic to launch VIPER and develop the Griffin lander to deliver the rover to its destination. The mission will carry a non-functional item simulating the rover's mass, as a successful demonstration of the Griffin lander remains valuable for future missions.

Astrobotic Initially scheduled by NASA to lunch VIPER 
Image credit: Astrobotic Technology 

Although VIPER's specific mission to verify the presence of water ice on the moon has been halted, NASA has other projects in the pipeline that will address this goal, albeit over a longer timeframe.