What future robotic missions will help us prepare to go to the Moon?

Both before and during Artemis missions I, II, and III, several robotic missions will fly to the Moon and help NASA prepare to land humans on the surface. 

NASA’s Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER): VIPER is a golf-cart-sized rover that will study the lunar soil. It will drive inside permanently shadowed regions to help NASA understand how much water is on the Moon’s south pole.

Learn more about the history of water on the Moon: Water on the Moon | Inside & Out

Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) CubeSat: The CAPSTONE CubeSat is a microwave-sized satellite that will travel to the Moon and help NASA test its models for navigating the never-been-tried orbit of the Gateway. 

Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) and Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO): The PPE and HALO are the fundamental parts of the Gateway and will be sent to the Moon first. The PPE has solar panels to power the outpost and a propulsion system for navigation. The HALO module is a pressurized capsule where astronauts can live and work.

Take a tour of VIPER’s South Pole landing site.

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