VIPER rover's historical lunar expedition: Mapping moon's resources, deciphering water origins

The lunar rover VIPER, or Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, is a part of NASA's Artemis mission. Its tasks will involve conducting surface studies of the moon to identify the presence of ice and other minerals. The projected landing time at the moon's south pole is late 2024, and the mission will span 100 days.

VIPER's collected data will aid scientists in understanding the water origin on the moon, and determining how to utilize its natural resources in the future. This won't be an easy mission as the rover is set to operate under extremely cold temperatures and on harsh terrains. The rover will be controlled in real time from the NASA Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California (USA).

The rover's information will enable NASA scientists to ascertain where it's most likely to find ice on the moon and where it might be easiest to access. The VIPER mission introduction will mark the first ever attempt to map natural resources beyond Earth. Resource maps on the moon will be invaluable in planning a long-term presence on the lunar surface for the Artemis mission.

Data obtained from satellites orbiting the moon, and probes that have previously impacted its surface, have confirmed ice at the moon's poles. But now, scientists want to delve deeper into investigating these resources. VIPER is expected to survey the moon using sophisticated equipment and an approximately three-foot-long drill, allowing the rover to sample soil from various depths and analyze them.

When the sun shines on the moon, equatorial temperatures can reach 120 degrees C (248 degrees F). However, when sunlight doesn't hit the surface, the temperature around the equator drops to minus 130 degrees C (minus 202 degrees F). VIPER is designed to reach permanently shaded craters at the south pole, where temperatures can go as low as -253 degrees C (minus 423.4 degrees F). Scientists expect to find ice reserves in these conditions that have survived for billions of years.

The instruments on board VIPER will also analyze the distribution and composition of the lunar ice resources. Scientists aim to determine where the polar water on the moon came from, potentially shedding light on the water origin across the entire solar system.

The data collected during the 100 day operation will be used to plan future manned lunar missions and possibly to Mars. Under the Artemis program, NASA intends to send the first woman and a person of color to the moon.

Daniel Andrews, VIPER project manager at NASA Ames Research Center, quotes, "VIPER is a game-changer. It's the first mission of its kind that expands our knowledge of where lunar resources can be exploited to support long-term human presence on our natural satellite."

Besides specialized equipment, VIPER will also carry the names of Earthlings to the moon. To feature on that list, submission through a form at https://www.nasa.gov/send-your-name-with-viper is required where one can also create and download virtual "participation" souvenirs — VIPER mission boarding cards with a listed name. The names received until March 15, 11:59 PM Eastern Time will be placed on board the rover.

Nicola Fox, Deputy Administrator of the NASA Science Mission Directorate in Washington, explains, "With VIPER, we intend to explore and probe parts of the moon's surface that have never been reached before - and with the 'Send Your Name' campaign, we invite the world to join this challenging yet rewarding journey." She adds, "Just think: our names will accompany VIPER as it collects valuable data in the rugged terrain of the lunar south pole. This information will help us better understand the history of the moon and the environment we plan to send Artemis mission astronauts to."

VIPER was designed and built at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, with its equipment being made at multiple NASA research centers and private companies. By the end of 2024, the rover is expected to reach the moon's surface aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket launched from Cape Canaveral. More information about the VIPER mission can be found at https://www.nasa.gov/viper.

This isn't the first time NASA has symbolically taken Earthlings into space. Previously, millions of names traveled on board the Orion spacecraft during its initial flight in 2014 and on the InSight probe that landed on Mars in 2018. A collection of names was ended on December 31 and will accompany a poem by American poet Ada Limón as a digital "message in a bottle" aboard the Europa Clipper probe into Jupiter's orbit (launch on October 10, 2024). The probe will carry about 700,000 names from all over the world, including around 6,000 from Poland, on an approximately 443.7 million-mile journey.