Executive Summary

The recent NASA proposal to cancel the VIPER mission underscores the significant risks inherent in large, complex, and high-cost lunar missions. However, VIPER is not just another mission; it is a cornerstone of NASA’s Artemis program, directly supporting the long-term goals of sustainable lunar exploration and resource utilization. Without VIPER, the Artemis program risks falling short of its transformative potential, reducing it to little more than a repeat of the Apollo missions.

The National Space Society supports the continuation of the VIPER mission, whether led solely by NASA or in collaboration with commercial partners. However, with VIPER’s future uncertain, we additionally propose that NASA consider adopting a different approach to lunar exploration, as outlined in the NASA-funded Evolvable Lunar Architecture (ELA) report. This report advocates for multiple small, low-cost commercial rovers sourced from multiple providers, which eliminate the risk of single-point failure and promote dissimilar redundancy. Additionally, it broadens the scope of resource identification and characterization necessary for establishing economically viable reserves. This strategy aligns with the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program and fosters competitive entrepreneurship in space exploration to drive future innovation.

Read full NSS Position Paper.