NASA's VIPER Lunar Rover Faces Cancellation Amidst Surging Costs and Supply Chain Woes

October 30, 2024
NASA's VIPER Lunar Rover Faces Cancellation Amidst Surging Costs and Supply Chain Woes
  • Astrobotic is developing a larger lander, Griffin, to deliver VIPER, but modifications are necessary due to the failure of the Peregrine lander, pushing the mission's timeline to at least September 2025.

  • The Peregrine lander, which was part of Astrobotic's initial CLPS mission, failed to reach the Moon in January 2024 due to a propulsion issue.

  • On July 17, 2024, NASA announced its decision to terminate the VIPER mission, despite the rover being fully constructed and ready for deployment.

  • NASA's VIPER lunar rover has completed all pre-launch tests successfully, but its future is now in jeopardy due to potential cost overruns.

  • The mission's projected costs have surged from an initial estimate of $250 million to approximately $609.6 million, primarily due to supply chain disruptions during the COVID pandemic.

  • Despite the cancellation of the VIPER mission, NASA will still incur significant costs, including $323 million owed to Astrobotic, bringing the total expenditure on the project close to $1 billion.

  • Congressional input is crucial for determining the future of the VIPER project, with ongoing discussions among Senate and House committees about its status and possible repurposing.

  • NASA is currently reviewing proposals from around 50 organizations interested in taking over the VIPER project, having narrowed it down to 11 formal submissions.

  • Prior to the cancellation announcement on July 17, 2024, VIPER had successfully passed various tests, including vibration, acoustic, and thermal vacuum assessments, with no major issues reported.

  • VIPER was designed to explore the lunar South Pole for 100 days, searching for water ice using advanced scientific instruments and a 1-meter drill.

  • Astrobotic was contracted to deliver VIPER to the Moon under NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, which aims to outsource lunar landing operations.

Summary based on 1 source


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