NASA Cancels Moon Rover Project Due to High Costs and Delays

NASA has canceled its Viper moon rover project due to high costs and launch delays. The Viper rover was meant to explore the moon's south pole in search of water.

NASA announced Wednesday that it is canceling its water-seeking moon rover, citing cost overruns and launch delays.

The Viper rover was supposed to launch in late 2023 aboard a lander provided by Astrobotic Technology, but extra testing and increased costs kept delaying the mission, threatening other projects, the space agency said.

NASA Cancels Moon Rover Project Due to High Costs and Delays

The rover had aimed to explore the moon's south pole. About $450 million had been spent so far on its development, NASA said.

The announcement comes days before the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, which landed Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon on July 20, 1969.

NASA Cancels Moon Rover Project Due to High Costs and Delays

NASA said it plans to study the presence of lunar ice through other projects.

Astrobotic still plans to fly its Griffin moon lander — minus a rover — by the end of next year. The company's first moonshot ended in failure in January with a fiery plunge over the South Pacific.

The cancellation of the Viper project is a setback for NASA's plans to return humans to the moon by 2025. The rover was seen as a key part of that effort, as it would have helped to identify and map potential landing sites for future astronauts.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement that the agency is "disappointed" to cancel the Viper project, but that it is necessary to prioritize other projects.

"We must prioritize our investments to ensure the greatest return for the American people," Nelson said.

The cancellation of the Viper project is a reminder of the challenges of space exploration. Even the most well-planned missions can be delayed or canceled due to unforeseen circumstances.

NASA is now looking at other ways to study the moon's south pole. The agency is considering sending a smaller rover or a lander that could collect samples of lunar ice.

NASA is also working with commercial partners to develop new technologies that could make it easier and cheaper to explore the moon.

The cancellation of the Viper project is a disappointment, but it is not a setback to NASA's long-term goal of returning humans to the moon. The agency is committed to exploring the moon and learning more about its potential resources.