NASA has started testing its lunar rover, titled the 'VIPER.' Testing is being conducted at the Glenn Research Center, in the Simulated Lunar Operations Laboratory, which is able to provide an environment similar to the one that exists on the moon. The testing phase allowed NASA to attempt different ways of navigating steep inclines, which allows the organization to troubleshoot movement patterns for its lunar rover.
NASA is intending to send the VIPER rover to the southern pole of the moon, during the Artemis mission, where the rover will assist the organization in its goal of searching for water in the area. Currently, there is not a launch date scheduled, however, the organization is working towards being ready for December 2020.
Image Credit: NASA/ Bridget Caswell, Alcyon Technical Services
What's Driving This Trend
- Lunar Rover Testing
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in the development of advanced testing methods for lunar rovers.
- Simulated Lunar Operations
- Potential for disruptive innovation in the creation of realistic lunar surface environments for testing purposes.
- Water Search on the Moon
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in the development of technologies for detecting and extracting water on the moon.
Who This Affects Most
- Space Exploration
- Space exploration industry can benefit from disruptive innovation in lunar rover testing and water search technologies.
- Aerospace Engineering
- Aerospace engineering industry can find disruptive innovation opportunities in the development of advanced testing environments for simulated lunar operations.
- Robotic Technology
- Robotic technology industry can explore disruptive innovation in the creation of autonomous lunar rovers and water detection systems for lunar exploration.
