VIPER Moon Rover Passes Challenging Test by NASA
NASA’s first-ever robotic Moon rover, the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER), has achieved a major milestone in its preparations for lunar exploration. The mobile robot has successfully completed a series of demanding tests to ensure its secure transition from the Astrobotic Griffin lunar lander to the lunar surface. NASA states that this operation, known as egress, presents one of the most difficult challenges for the rover during its upcoming 100-day mission.
Tests conducted at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley used prototypes of the VIPER rover and the Griffin lander. Their goal was to push VIPER’s systems to their limits and ensure that the rover performs as expected during its scientific mission. Engineers used the Moon Gravitation Representative Unit 3 (MGRU3) prototype to drive VIPER down lander ramps in various test configurations at the Ames facility. These tests gave engineers a better idea of how the Rover would behave in normal and unusual scenarios.
NASA explained that the lunar lander’s ramps are designed to fit the different terrains found on the lunar surface. Depending on the conditions near the landing site, the ramps may have steep angles or uneven surfaces. This creates challenges as the Rover can lose traction or encounter uneven ramps. Recent tests assessed VIPER’s ability to handle such difficult terrains and ensure its safe exit from landing.
Jasper Wolfe, VIPER egress test manager at Ames, said, “During this series, we have tested all the ‘limiting’ cases for VIPER to reach the lunar surface.” He further added, “This included a worst-case high-rise scenario using the steepest — and scariest — ramps, a worst-case bank scenario using the roughest ramps, and a worst-case scenario of bank and bank combined.”
Successful completion of these tests indicates that VIPER should be able to safely exit the lander even if it lands in a challenging location, marking significant progress toward its mission.
