The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announces that the Simulated Lunar Operations Laboratory (SLOPE Lab) at the John Glenn Research Center (Ohio) is testing the VIPER spacecraft.
The VIPER project, or Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, is creating a rover to explore the moon. This apparatus will be sent to the area of ββthe south pole of the natural satellite of our planet, where it will search for deposits of water ice.
Robot tests are carried out on a special test site that imitates the lunar surface. Tests will help determine characteristics such as wheel grip, the amount of energy expended in performing certain maneuvers, etc.
Sending the rover to the moon is tentatively scheduled for late 2022. The equipment of the apparatus will include the NSS spectrometer (Neutron Spectrometer System) to search for ice deposits under the surface. The rover will be able to drill through the ground to collect samples and then analyze them using on-board instruments.
The collected data will later be useful in planning manned lunar missions. In addition, the information received will help to choose the best place for the future base on the natural satellite of our planet.
Source: 3dnews.ru