Reviving VIPER: NASA’s Robot Gets a Second Chance with Blue Origin

A private-public partnership revives a critical mission to find water on the Moon. So, what exactly is VIPER? Think of it as a lunar explorer on a crucial quest. This robot, which is about the size of a golf cart, will be heading to the Moon's south pole. Its main job is to find and map water ice. Blue Origin will use its Blue Moon Mark 1 lander to get the rover there, with a planned landing in late 2027. This isn't just any trip, either. It’s a crucial mission to find a resource that could change everything for future lunar exploration. For this service, NASA is paying Blue Origin up to