![]() And the VIPER science team continues to simulate the fast-paced science operations in preparation for a target lunar landing date of Nov. ![]() Meanwhile, at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley where the mission is managed, software engineers continue developing and testing the brains of the rover, before it is integrated with the rover hardware. Once integration is complete, they will put the completed rover through a series of stressful function, performance, and operational tests, followed by vibration, acoustic and thermal-vacuum environmental tests ensuring the rover is mission-ready. Over the next few months, engineers and technicians will continue the build-up, adding subsystems such as avionics, power, telecommunications, mechanisms, thermal systems, and navigation systems onto the rover, including the specialized scientific instruments and drill that will perform the primary objectives of the VIPER mission. ![]() “Hardware is coming in from all over the world, including some manufactured at several NASA centers – it’s really ‘go’ time.” “We’ve just completed the first few steps integrating rover components that will one day be on the surface of the Moon,” said Petri. It all now sits atop a set of risers on a specialized lift table in a clean room at Johnson. The team recently began assembling the 1,000-pound rover at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.Įngineers have affixed the rover’s lower chassis plate and the lower parts of the frame that will support all of VIPER – from the bottom of its wheels to the tip of its headlights. “I’m super excited…it makes me very proud of all the time and effort the team has invested to get this far,” said David Petri, system integration and test lead for the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER).
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