What Happened
Critical Vehicles for Artemis Program to Scout Resources and Terrain
NASA is developing a fleet of ground vehicles to navigate the moon’s terrain, crucial for the Artemis program’s goal of establishing a sustainable human presence on the moon. The VIPER rover will search for water ice, while Astrolab and Lunar Outpost are developing lunar terrain vehicles for astronauts. These rovers are expected to launch from Florida on Blue Origin landers, with the first launches potentially occurring as early as the end of 2026. The development of these vehicles is a key step in NASA’s plans to return humans to the moon by 2028, as reported by the Bradenton Herald.