NASA Unveils PROMISE Rover for 2028 Moon Mission as Artemis Targets Human Return
Updated
Updated · Scientific American · Nov 8
NASA Unveils PROMISE Rover for 2028 Moon Mission as Artemis Targets Human Return
3 articles · Updated · Scientific American · Nov 8
Summary
Late 2028 is NASA’s target to land the new PROMISE rover on the moon aboard a Blue Origin lander for an 18-month mission near the lunar south pole.
PROMISE will drill into regolith, measure radiation and map the surface, giving NASA data on resources and hazards before crews arrive and helping shape a permanent lunar presence.
That scouting role fits NASA’s broader shift to a campaign model in which landers, rovers, communications satellites and hopping “MoonFall” drones are deployed ahead of astronauts.
NASA said 22 CLPS lunar lander task orders are scheduled from 2019 through this year, while a new “CLPS 2.0” phase is being designed for heavier cargoes of up to 6 metric tons.
The rover is meant to support Artemis plans that aim for Artemis III in early 2027 and Artemis IV in 2028, though NASA still faces questions over unproven human landers from Blue Origin and SpaceX.