NASA's VIPER Rover to Carry Public Names on Lunar South Pole Mission

The rover, set to launch in late 2024, will explore the moon's water and environment, potentially changing the way we prepare for long-duration space missions.

NASA's first robotic moon rover, VIPER, is set to explore the lunar South Pole in late 2024, aiming to understand the moon's water and environment for future astronaut landings.
VIPER will carry the names of potentially millions of people, with names to be received by the end of 15 March 2024.
The rover will rely on its solar panels and batteries for its roughly 100-day mission, tolerating extreme temperatures and challenging lighting conditions.
VIPER will measure the location and concentration of water ice and other resources, potentially changing the way we prepare for and conduct long-duration missions in space.
The rover is part of NASA's Artemis programme, which plans to send the first woman and person of colour to the moon.