• NASA has canceled its solicitation for commercial partners to launch and operate the VIPER lunar rover, citing the need for alternative approaches.
• The original partnership structure, requiring companies to fully fund the mission without NASA funding, proved challenging for industry partners.
• This decision represents the latest setback for VIPER, which had previously been canceled due to cost overruns and schedule delays before being revived with a commercial partnership plan.

NASA has decided to abandon its plan to find a commercial partner to launch the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) to the Moon's south pole. The agency had issued a solicitation in February seeking industry proposals for launching and operating VIPER, but has now opted for 'alternative approaches' after evaluating initial proposals. This decision comes after industry concerns regarding the financial viability of the partnership and criticisms of NASA's handling of the mission, which previously faced cancellation due to cost overruns. The VIPER rover is designed to search for water ice deposits in the lunar south pole, an area of interest for NASA's Artemis program.

• What: NASA has canceled its plan to partner with a commercial entity to launch and operate the VIPER lunar rover, opting for alternative approaches.
• Who: NASA, VIPER team, potential commercial partners (e.g., Intuitive Machines), members of Congress, Astrobotic.
• When: Solicitation cancelled May 7, 2024. VIPER was initially planned to launch in late 2025. Original cancellation announced July 2024.
• Where: Lunar south pole (target destination for VIPER).

NASA's decision to cancel the commercial partnership for VIPER reflects the challenges of public-private partnerships in space exploration, particularly when the financial burden is primarily on the private sector. The original structure, where companies would fund the launch and operation of VIPER without direct NASA funding but NASA retaining the data, proved unappealing. This raises questions about NASA's strategy for lunar exploration and its reliance on commercial partners. The criticism from Congress underscores the importance of clear communication and justification for mission changes. The future of VIPER is now uncertain, requiring NASA to develop a new strategy to achieve its scientific objectives at the lunar south pole.

We are considering alternative partnerships. These are different ways to structure partnership proposals based on what we learned from reviewing the Step 1 proposals.

I’m not sure what we’re going to do with VIPER yet. The way that it came out, it’s got to be fully funded without NASA, and NASA retains all the data. It’s quite limited in our ability to commercialize it.

We appreciate the efforts of those who proposed to the Lunar Volatiles Science Partnership Announcement for Partnership Proposals call. We look forward to accomplishing future volatiles science with VIPER as we continue NASA’s Moon to Mars exploration efforts.

NASA's reversal on the VIPER commercial partnership introduces uncertainty into the rover's mission to explore the lunar south pole for water ice. The agency is now seeking alternative approaches, but the details and timeline remain unclear. The initial challenges in securing a viable commercial partnership highlight the complexities of funding and data ownership in space exploration ventures. While VIPER remains assembled and ready for launch, its future depends on NASA's ability to develop a new, sustainable strategy that aligns with its Artemis program goals.