NASA’s New Moon Rover Prototype Successfully Completes Obstacle Course
NASA’s latest moon rover prototype, known as VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover), has recently completed an obstacle course designed to simulate the challenging terrain of the lunar surface. The successful test brings the agency one step closer to its planned mission to the lunar south pole, scheduled for November 2024.
To ensure the rover’s mobility on the moon, engineers at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland constructed a simulated lunar environment complete with large rocks, steep slopes, and deep craters. The purpose of these tests was to evaluate VIPER’s ability to navigate through various obstacles it may encounter during its mission.
As part of its mission, the VIPER rover will land on Mons Mouton, a mountain near the moon’s south pole. It will specifically touchdown near the western rim of Nobile crater, where its primary goal will be to characterize the lunar environment. This information will be invaluable in determining suitable landing sites for future missions under the Artemis program. The VIPER rover is expected to carry out its mission over a period of approximately 100 days.
In a video shared by NASA, the recent mobility tests showcased the rover’s ability to overcome potential challenges it will face on the lunar surface. VIPER successfully maneuvered over large rocks and skillfully navigated through quicksand-like soil while ascending steep slopes and traversing craters.
The Artemis program, of which VIPER is an integral part, aims to establish a permanent human settlement at the moon’s south pole. VIPER’s role in this endeavor is crucial, as it will play a significant role in identifying potential locations where resources such as water can be harvested to sustain extended stays on the moon.
Additionally, the VIPER mission team aims to address several unanswered questions concerning the presence of frozen water and other volatiles on the moon. They seek to determine the origin of these substances, how some have remained preserved for billions of years, and where they go after escaping the lunar soil.
In related news, engineers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston recently tested VIPER’s final science instrument named TRIDENT, which stands for The Regolith Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrain. This drill, created by engineers from Honeybee Robotics in Altadena, California, will be used to extract soil cuttings from up to three feet below the lunar surface. It is a rotary percussive drill that spins to cut into the ground while simultaneously hammering to fragment hard material. In addition to collecting soil samples, the drill will also measure soil strength, compactness, and underground temperature.
With each successful test and milestone reached, NASA is making significant progress toward its goal of establishing a sustainable presence on the moon. The VIPER rover, with its advanced capabilities and scientific instruments, will undoubtedly provide invaluable data about the moon’s south pole and aid in future lunar exploration endeavors.