NASA announced the cancellation of its water-seeking moon rover, Viper, citing persistent cost overruns and launch delays. Originally slated for a late 2023 launch aboard an Astrobotic Technology lander, the mission faced extended testing periods and increased expenses, jeopardizing other projects, the agency revealed on Wednesday.
The Viper rover was designed to explore the moon’s south pole, with approximately $450 million already invested in its development, according to NASA.
The decision comes shortly before the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, which saw Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin land on the moon on July 20, 1969. NASA intends to pursue alternative projects to study lunar ice in lieu of Viper.
Astrobotic, despite this setback, plans to proceed with its Griffin moon lander mission by the end of next year, albeit without the rover component. The company’s initial moonshot earlier this year ended in failure with a crash into the South Pacific in January.
