NASA has terminated its solicitation for third parties to deploy its VIPER rover to the Moon, opting instead to cancel the project entirely due to rising costs. Originally intended to be launched in partnership with Astrobotic as part of the Commercial Lunar Payload Services contract, delays have pushed the deployment date to 2025, with total costs projected at $609.6 million. The agency previously sought third-party partnerships to minimize costs but ultimately found it impractical to proceed.
NASA's decision to cancel the Lunar Volatiles Science Partnership solicitation reflects budget constraints and logistical challenges associated with deploying the VIPER rover to the Moon.
Despite nearly completing the VIPER rover, NASA's budget ballooned to $609.6 million, prompting the agency to withdraw the plea for third-party lunar deployment.
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