NASA Cancels $450 Million VIPER Moon Rover Mission

The decision comes after cost overruns, delays, and risks to other lunar projects.

VIPER was designed to explore the Moon's south pole for water ice and other resources.
The project faced multiple delays, pushing the launch from 2023 to 2025.
NASA plans to disassemble VIPER and repurpose its parts for future missions.
The cancellation is expected to save NASA $84 million in development costs.
NASA's broader lunar exploration program, including the PRIME-1 mission, remains a priority.