"VIPER's Final Science Instrument Installed in Rover's Belly"

NASA's VIPER rover has had its final science instrument, TRIDENT, integrated into its belly, marking a significant milestone in its preparation for a lunar mission. TRIDENT, designed to dig up soil from below the lunar surface using a rotary percussive drill, was successfully tested for its drilling capabilities. VIPER, set to launch to the Moon as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative, will use these instruments to study the origin of water and other resources on the Moon to support human exploration as part of NASA’s Artemis campaign.