It's here! NASA successfully tests new rover which will hunt for water on the Moon

NASA, on January 13, has successfully tested a new rover Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) for an upcoming lunar mission. rover will explore south polar region of Moon searching for ice and water deposits, and sampling any such deposits it finds, in preparation for Artemis program in 2024.

new rover was tested at Simulated Lunar Operations Laboratory at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio where large, adjustable soil bins at centre contains lunar simulant and allowed engineers to mimic Moon’s terrain. VIPER is a part of NASA’s Moon to Mars project, which endeavours to furr human exploration, build a sustainable lunar ecomy, and eventually live in .

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engineering model of VIPER is about size of a golf cart. Engineers from NASA’s Johnson Center in Houston, where rover was designed and built, joined Glenn team to complete tests. Data gared from tests will be used to evaluate traction of vehicle, determine power required for various maeuvres, and compare methods for traversing any steeps slopes rover may encounter on surface of Moon.

As stated by NASA in ir press release, VIPER rover is a collaboration between NASA’s various ncies who are responsible for leading mission’s science, it’s delivery to lunar and commercial ncy Honeybee Robotics in California which is partly responsible for rover’s instruments.

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What is Artemis program?

Named after Greek god Artemis, twin sister to Apollo (and name of NASA’s first manned mission to moon) Artemis program is NASA’s new mission to land humans on Moon by 2024. It comes under aegis of NASA’s Moon to Mars project. Indian-American US Air Force colonel Raja Chari was among 11 new NASA graduates who have successfully completed ir over two years' of basic astronaut training and are all set to be a part of ncy's ambitious future missions to International Station, Moon, and Mars.

According to NASA’s own website, organisation will use invative techlogies to furr push boundaries of exploring lunar surface. Artemis program will also collaborate with various international and commercial partners to establish sustainable missions to moon by 2028. Once se have been established, NASA will furr use whatever kwledge it gains from se projects to furr organisation’s exploration of Mars.

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(With inputs from NASA and PTI. Im credits: NASA.gov)