NASA Cancels Moon Rover Mission, Citing Delays and Increasing Cost
WASHINGTON (NEWSnet/AP) — NASA is canceling its water-seeking moon rover, citing cost overruns and launch delays in an announcement this week.
The Viper rover (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration) was supposed to launch in late 2023, and then in late 2024, aboard a lander provided by Astrobotic Technology, but extra testing and increased costs kept delaying the mission, threatening the schedules of other projects, the space agency said.
The rover had aimed to explore the moon’s south pole. About $450 million had been spent so far on its development, NASA said.
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.
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