Chapter 1: Introduction to VIPER

NASA is preparing for its first crewed mission to the Moon in years, aiming for a lunar landing by 2024 through its Artemis program. However, before humans set foot on the lunar surface, robotic missions like the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) are essential. Recently, NASA awarded a contract to Astrobotic, a company based in Pittsburgh, for the launch of VIPER to the Moon's south pole.

In the past, during the Apollo missions, scientists assumed the Moon was a barren rock devoid of water. Today, we understand that while it is lifeless, the Moon does harbor water in the form of ice. The precise locations and amounts of this water remain uncertain, and that is the primary objective of VIPER.

Section 1.1: Contract Award Details

The launch contract, worth $199.5 million, tasks Astrobotic with the integration of VIPER with the Griffin lander and the subsequent launch to the Moon. This initiative is part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, which draws inspiration from the Commercial Crew Program that successfully transported astronauts to the International Space Station. CLPS aims to deliver scientific instruments and payloads to the Moon, laying the groundwork for upcoming human landings.

Subsection 1.1.1: Mission Uniqueness

VIPER stands out as it will be the first mission focused on resource mapping on another celestial body. Its development diverges from traditional NASA lunar missions. VIPER will be equipped with four instruments designed to search for water, with three of them scheduled to be sent to the Moon prior to the rover's completion. This strategy allows NASA to test prototype versions of the VIPER payload during earlier CLPS missions in 2021 and 2022, refining the final mission's structure.

Chapter 2: The Launch and Mission Timeline

NASA intends to launch VIPER in 2023, just a year before the anticipated human landing. After its arrival in Oceanus Procellarum, located near the Moon's south pole, VIPER will navigate the lunar terrain for 100 days, searching for ice that could potentially serve as drinking water and fuel for future missions. The rover will also drill down approximately three feet to examine ice deposits.

VIPER's findings could prove crucial in establishing the Moon as a launching point for missions to the outer solar system. Access to water on the Moon may support the infrastructure needed for these ambitious explorations.

Now read: The InSight Mars Lander’s Heat Probe Finally Makes It Underground. The Moon May Still Be Geologically Active. NASA Awards Lunar Lander Contracts to SpaceX, Blue Origin, Dynetics.