James Paul 
Earthquake, on July 17, NASA announced the cessation of its Viper program. This already built rover had to go to the moon in the months that follow. He will never fly. The leaders of the American space agency then speak of a simple financial operation, saving $ 84 million.
And now this Monday, NASA came out this old file of the cupboards. She asked private companies that revolve around her if they wanted to use an already built rover. For Nicky Fox, associate administrator of the Directorate of Scientific Missions of NASA, the creation of this partnership around Viper is an opportunity ” unique “ For start-ups around the world. Many should make their application file.
What will viper on the moon be viper?
The Rover Viper, imagined and built by NASA, must join our satellite to lead a whole bunch of experiences. Among the missions entrusted to this small device of 450 kilograms, the most important, by far, is to map the water deposits discovered at the South Pole of the Moon.
The astromobile must measure the vertical and horizontal distribution as well as the physical characteristics of water ice. The presence of water on the moon, in its solid form, has been known to all for decades. While NASA works to bring men back to its surface, the use of this resource would be a possibility to facilitate the transfer of food to the Moon.
In this trip of more than 600,000 kilometers (round trip), NASA would like to do without bulky packs. Instead, she wishes to use the lunar water reserves, but should we still know their position with precision and especially the quantity of this water ice.
Prepare for the future
The mission of Rover Viper is therefore to study these water ice deposits. The question is to understand whether the exploitation of this natural resource is “viable economic”. Before giving its conclusions, the rover will study the surface and the surface layers of several regions of the moon. The objective is to get a representative idea of the different types of land present on our satellite.
While the mission had been stopped since last summer and its economic cancellation, Viper resumes service. He should leave the earth in September, aboard a Falcon Heavy rocket from the SpaceX brand.
