NASA selects Blue Origin to take the once-canceled VIPER rover to the moon – Orlando Sentinel

An expensive lunar rover that once had its moon trip canceled has a ride once again.

NASA has selected Blue Origin to help get VIPER, the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, to the moon by awarding Jeff Bezos’ company a task order under its Commercial Lunar Payload Services program.

VIPER was once supposed to be the primary payload of Astrobotic’s yet-to-fly Griffin lander with a 2023 launch date for under $200 million. But NASA canceled that mission in 2024 after the costs for both the rover construction and adjustments to the Astrobotic contract ballooned to nearly $800 million and the launch date continued to slip.

But now VIPER is back with a ride on Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 robotic lander, which also has yet to fly. NASA’s task order is worth up to $190 million