When you think of NASA send Rovers into space, you might think of robot explorers on Mars like curiosity and perseverance, both of which are sent to Mars. But while our favorite red planet explorers are out there rolling around, the agency has a plan to send Rovers to other locations too. This week NASA shares information about the upcoming Viper mission that will be sent to the moon – the nearest neighbor of our own earth.
Volatiles who investigate the polar exploration rover, or Viper, will stand out throughout the month looking for ice water on the surface of the moon. It will look at the South Pole of the moon, where previous studies showed that there might be ice water located inside the moon crater (through NASA). Finding water supply in the moon can be very valuable for future crew missions there, when the moon explorer will need access to resources.
The plan is to launch Viper in 2023, but before the launch that Rover needs to be tweaked and refined to deal with difficult conditions of the month. The surface of the moon is very dusty, and because the moon does not have the atmosphere, there is no wind, which means there is no erosion. That means that dust is sharp, like small pieces of glass, making it potentially damaging electronics and it is difficult to maneuver (through NASA).
To get the Viper ready, NASA has worked with the Rover test version here on earth in the labal operating laboratory that is simulated, or slope. The Test Rover has the same wheel and the basic size owned by Rover Rover, and the test version must run through obstacles in this sandy material test laboratory, to see whether the wheel design depends on the challenge moving on the moon.
NASA even shared videos that showed The Test Rover moved through deep sand, on rocks, and rose steep slopes to simulate conditions that might be encountered by Rover Moon. Update: Peeking videos posted by NASA Glenn Research Center conducted several previous testing with Viper, then stopped by the latest (shortest) video from the latest test session on Twitter.
To complete the test, another version of Rover will be included in the slope center later this year. This newer version will be more like Rover Rover, in what NASA is explained as “final examination where Rover needs to prove it is able to meet the design requirements with hardware, software, and electronics”.
