NASA Cancels VIPER Lunar Rover Mission

NASA has issued a request for information (RFI) to companies and organizations interested in taking over the nearly-complete Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) after announcing its cancellation due to development delays and budget constraints. The decision, made public on July 17, has faced severe backlash from the scientific community, with thousands of scientists signing an open letter to Congress criticizing NASA's move as 'unprecedented and indefensible'. VIPER, which cost $450 million to build and was set to explore for ice at the lunar south pole, is considered crucial for future lunar colonization efforts. Critics, including lunar scientists, argue that cancelling VIPER undermines NASA's entire lunar exploration program for the coming decade. In response, NASA aims to leverage existing engineering and technology through potential partnerships to continue lunar exploration without disrupting future commercial missions. The situation highlights ongoing tensions between budgetary constraints and scientific ambition in space exploration.