Ammon News - NASA has provided an update on its plans to develop crewed and robotic lunar rovers to support lunar exploration and lay the groundwork for establishing a permanent base on the Moon.

NASA's Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) will embark on a mission to the lunar South Pole region in 2027 to explore permanently shadowed craters in search of water and other valuable resources that could support future missions. The rover will be delivered to the lunar surface by Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 1 lander and will travel more than 30 kilometres, collecting information about temperatures, lighting conditions and terrain.

To advance surface mobility on the Moon, NASA awarded Astrolab and Lunar Outpost task orders to build lunar terrain vehicles (LTVs) capable of carrying crew, transporting equipment and collecting samples. The vehicles will be delivered to the Moon ahead of crewed Artemis missions. NASA awarded Blue Origin a task order to deliver the LTVs to the lunar South Pole region by 2028.

The vehicles will enable astronauts to explore geologically diverse areas and can be remotely operated from Earth to map the lunar surface before crews arrive. They are designed to travel up to 10 kilometres on a single battery charge, support up to three moonwalks per Artemis mission, and transport up to 80 kilograms of lunar samples and tools.