VIPER Moon Rover Perfects Lunar Lander Departure in NASA's Training Session

NASA's VIPER moon rover, set to launch in 2024, is practicing leaving its lander in preparation for its mission to search for water ice on the moon's surface. Engineers at NASA's Johnson Space Center sent the prototype rover down a ramp in an indoor facility to simulate different exit strategies. The rover's main mission is to facilitate NASA's Artemis program, which aims to restart moon exploration with astronauts and establish a permanent settlement at the moon's south pole. The mission has been delayed two years from its initial target launch of 2022.