No fangs for ice: NASA axes VIPER moon rover after spending $450 million

After pouring hundreds of millions, NASA has made the difficult decision to scrap the VIPER lunar rover due to budgetary constraints.

VIPER, short for Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, was a robot rover designed to search for ice and other resources near the Moon’s south pole.

It was supposed to launch in late 2023 but faced delays due to additional testing and schedule issues. These delays drove up expenditures, pushing the project beyond budget.

Moreover, NASA informed Congress that rising VIPER costs threatened other lunar missions, leading to its cancellation.

“We are committed to studying and exploring the Moon for the benefit of humanity through the CLPS program,” said Nicola Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington.

$450 million spent

The car-sized rover was fully assembled and undergoing environmental testing when the plug was pulled. So far, NASA has spent a whopping $450 million only on its development. The launch would have exceeded the amount significantly.  NASA expects to save $84 million in development costs by terminating the VIPER program.

NASA mentioned that VIPER’s valuable instruments and parts would find new life in upcoming lunar projects. ​​​​Some of its components might possibly be sold to industry.

NASA’s 2025 scientific budget was lowered by $1 billion, resulting in the cancelation of certain ambitious projects.

Moreover, NASA’s ambitious plan to bring Martian samples back to Earth has been also facing various issues. Reportedly, the agency is re-evaluating its $11 billion plan due to cost concerns.

Other missions will achieve VIPER’s goals

VIPER, built to brave the treacherous lunar south pole for 100 days, was tasked with a critical mission: uncovering hidden ice deposits. NASA engineers even designed AI SHERPA to guide the robotic explorer across the alien moon’s surface. The rover was also supposed to create the first-ever lunar resource maps to support future Artemis missions.

As part of NASA’s CLPS program, VIPER’s moon mission was scheduled for 2025 aboard Astrobotic’s Griffin lander.

Despite this setback, NASA is forging ahead with alternative missions to achieve VIPER’s scientific goals. After all, discovering lunar ice deposits is crucial for establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon.

“The agency has an array of missions planned to look for ice and other resources on the Moon over the next five years. Our path forward will make maximum use of the technology and work that went into VIPER, while preserving critical funds to support our robust lunar portfolio,” Fox said.

As per NASA release , a CLPS mission named PRIME-1 is still on track for a late 2024 landing at the South Pole. It will pack a drill and a fancy tool called a mass spectrometer to search for water ice and analyze the lunar soil. Plus, future crewed missions will have rovers like the Lunar Terrain Vehicle to explore the south pole on the move, and even take astronauts into permanently shadowed areas to collect samples directly.