NASA may launch nuclear backup Mars rover to Moon
▼ Summary
– NASA is considering sending the full-scale engineering model of the Perseverance rover, named “Promise,” to the Moon’s south pole region.
– The rover would be powered by a multi-mission radioisotope thermoelectric generator (MMRTG) to handle difficult terrain and the lunar night.
– Unlike most other NASA rovers that rely on solar power, Promise would use nuclear power.
– NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman confirmed the agency is “thinking very hard” about this plan during a monthly update on Moon base efforts.
– The rover is currently housed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California and was not originally planned for launch.
NASA officials confirmed Tuesday they are actively evaluating a plan to send the full-scale engineering model of the Perseverance rover to the Moon, aiming to accelerate exploration of the lunar south pole. The vehicle, nicknamed “Promise,” is currently housed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California and was originally built as a testbed, not destined for launch.
If approved, Promise would land equipped with a multi-mission radioisotope thermoelectric generator (MMRTG) , a nuclear power source that would allow it to traverse rugged terrain and survive the extreme cold of the lunar night. This contrasts with most of NASA’s current lunar rovers, which rely on solar power and are limited by the two-week-long darkness at the poles.
“We are thinking very hard right now about sending Promise to the Moon,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said Tuesday during a monthly update on the agency’s plans to establish a Moon base. The move would repurpose an existing asset to provide a powerful, long-duration mobility platform for surface science and infrastructure development.
(Source: Ars Technica)
