NASA Eyes PROMISE: a Nuclear-Powered Moon Rover for the South Pole
TL;DR Summary
NASA is weighing a mission called PROMISE—a hybrid of Perseverance and Curiosity—to the Moon's south pole, where it would scout for water ice and map the surface and subsurface using a nuclear-powered MMRTG so it can operate without sunlight. The rover is still a concept and needs major upgrades (sensors, instruments, communications, and dust resistance), with cost estimates of $700 million to $1.3 billion and a potential launch in the early 2030s.
- One Of NASA's Mars Rovers Could Find Itself Promised To The Moon Instead Engadget
- Sending repurposed Mars rover to the moon could cost more than $1 billion SpaceNews
- The National Space Society Applauds NASA’s Proposed PROMISE Lunar Lander Plan EIN News
- NASA questions recycled Moon rover proposal after projected costs TechRadar
- The Cost of a PROMISE The Planetary Society
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