Running up that hill. ⛰️ In November 2021, the latest test version of NASA’s Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) visited NASAGlenn to complete its third mobility testing assessment. In this video, the rover is seen kicking up high sinkage sand-like material while transiting the Simulated Lunar Operations Laboratory (SLOPE) bed. This video represents a critical step toward ensuring the rover is ready for its 2023 mission to the Moon’s South Pole to get a close-up view of the location and concentration of ice and other resources. The latest prototype of the rover, known as Moon Gravitation Representative Unit 3 (MGRU3), has the same wheel design and base size as the rover that will go to the Moon. For over two weeks, the team used the facility’s unique capabilities to drive MGRU3 over various obstacles and up steep slopes. Later this spring, VIPER will return to SLOPE for verification and validation testing. VIPER will be delivered to the surface of the Moon in l...