Billion-dollar question: repurposing Mars rover hardware for the Moon

NASA is weighing sending PROMISE, a lunar rover built from Mars rover engineering models, to the Moon’s south pole to support a future Moon Base. While NASA officials tout using existing hardware for a quick win, a Planetary Society analysis estimates development and launch could cost roughly $0.7–1.3 billion with readiness in the early 2030s, driven by power, flight-ready instruments, and certification. The plan could affect Curiosity/Perseverance testbeds and hinges on securing a spare RTG, complicating broader mission plans. NASA administrator Jared Isaacman argues costs can stay low if launch costs are restrained and defends repurposing hardware, while questions about nuclear power availability and New Frontiers timing add budgeting uncertainty.