When NASA’s Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) lands near the western edge of the Nobile Crater at the Moon’s South Pole in 2023, it will map and explore the region’s surface as well as subsurface for water. It’s set to launch atop a SpaceX Falcon-Heavy rocket for delivery to the Moon by Astrobotic’s Griffin lander under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative.
All of the data it gathers will help scientists confirm that ice and other potential resources exist in permanently shadowed areas of the Moon near the poles. A mountainous area west of Nobile Crater was selected as its landing site due to its rover-accessible terrain and various nearby sites of scientific interest, including permanently shadowed areas. This crater was most likely formed through a collision with another smaller celestial body, and is nearly always covered in shadows, thus allowing ice to exist there.
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Selecting a landing site for VIPER is an exciting and important decision for all of us. Years of study have gone into evaluating the polar region VIPER will explore. VIPER is going into uncharted territory—informed by science—to test hypotheses and reveal critical information for future human space exploration,” said Daniel Andrews, VIPER project manager.
