Suggested Searches

FULL VIDEO: The VIPER team announces that its rover will be sent to the Nobile region near the Moon's South Pole to carry out its mission. Watch this video to learn more.Music Provided by Universal Production Music: “The Butterfly Effect” – David Thomas ConnollyThis video can also be viewed on YouTube.
A graphic illustration of the rover known as VIPER. It is mostly grey with blue siding and the central structure is box-like. Four wheels are underneath the rover, which will help it traverse the lunar south pole. Mounted on top of the rover are a couple of additional small structures as well as lights that will shine the way in permanently shadowed regions (PSRS). In the background is a simulation of the Moon�s surface surrounded by black space.
NASA's VIPER robotic Moon rover is shown in a clean room at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Two of its wheels are visible in this image. It is shown on a white floor in front of a white wall next to the NASA "meatball" logo. On the the floor there is yellow-and-black tape surrounding the rover.

Announcement for the Lunar Volatiles Science Partnership with NASA’s VIPER Rover

NASA has published an Announcement for Partnership Proposals (AFPP) inviting proposals from parties interested in partnering with NASA to obtain science data with NASA’s Volatiles Investigating Polar Explorer Rover (VIPER) by landing it on the Moon, operating it, and sharing the science results. The formal release of the AFPP can be found on sam.gov at this link. It can also be found by searching for solicitation number NNH25ZDA010L.

A selected partnership proposal would culminate in a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) for a Lunar Volatiles Science Partnership (LVSP).

A copy of the AFPP is linked here for convenience.

The AFPP refers to this website as NASA’s Volatiles Partnership website, and NASA will post additional information here as it is available. It is the responsibility of interested parties and proposers to stay up to date with this website and ensure that they have the latest information available. The results of any Q&A discussions or other future briefings will be posted at this website and not necessarily updated on sam.gov.

Questions about this solicitation can be sent to HQ-volatilespartnership@mail.nasa.gov.

For more information on NASA’s Lunar Discovery and Exploration Program, click here.

NASA Science Mission Directorate’s Exploration Science Strategy Integration Office will have a kickoff meeting to highlight the content of the AFPP and the overall LVSP approach.

NASA will host a technical question and answer meeting (date and time TBD) to discuss recent updates on VIPER project analysis of test campaigns and ground system development. This will be an update on information previously provided as part of the VIPER Rover Partnership RFI site, which has other relevant technical information. NASA will announce this meeting time on this website as well as the approach for submitting questions.

Schedule

Kickoff Meeting

February 10th, 2025, 2pm EST

Q&A

TBD

Step 1 Proposals Due

March 3rd, 2025, 4pm EST

Step 1 Results Target

March 10th, 2025 (estimated)

Step 2 (Limited) Proposals Due

May 2nd, 2025, 4pm EDT

VIPER Technical Reference Document Information

The AFPP mentions “VIPER– Program of Record Technical Information to Inform Partnership Proposal Formulation,” which is a NASA document that contains export-controlled information tied to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Interested proposers that are US citizens may reach out to hq-volatilespartnership@mail.nasa.gov to inquire about how to access the document and will acknowledge that they will abide by ITAR/EAR restrictions. A version of this document that is redacted to remove ITAR/EAR information will be shared on this website when available.

Point of Contact

Exploration Science Strategy Integration Office
Science Mission Directorate
hq-volatilespartnership@mail.nasa.gov