Moon rover mission canceled by NASA due to excessive costs and launch delays

The American space agency NASA announced on Thursday that it will not be sending its rover to the moon after all, citing exorbitant launch costs and schedule delays as justifications.

NASA announced during a press conference that the project, known as Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER, will be canceled after a “comprehensive internal review.”

According to the space agency, the decision to reevaluate the project was made in light of rising expenses, probable future cost hikes, and a postponed launch date.

The rover was supposed to launch in late 2023, but NASA reports that the launch had to be rescheduled until later this year.

After another delay, NASA had last anticipated that the launch would take place in September 2025.

The VIPER robot was poised to roam the moon’s South Pole, gathering soil samples with a drill.

The launch was planned to be carried out with assistance from the private space company Astrobotic.

NASA said that the rover would now be dismantled and the parts used elsewhere.

“Our path forward will make maximum use of the technology and work that went into VIPER while preserving critical funds to support our robust lunar portfolio,” NASA manager Nicola Fox said.