NASA says a billion-dollar bill for a recycled Moon rover is simply too high

NASA's proposed lunar rover, PROMISE, faces scrutiny over its unexpectedly high estimated cost, ranging from $723 million to $1.33 billion. The rover is intended to be built using recycled hardware from the Curiosity and Perseverance Mars rover programs, but NASA estimates these savings do not offset major mission expenses. Casey Dreier, Planetary Society's chief of space policy, reviewed NASA's proposal and highlighted the launch and landing costs contributing to the high totals, which remain beyond what NASA considers acceptable for such a mission.

Although NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman supports reusing existing hardware, he argues that launch and landing expenses are inevitable for any lunar mission. The proposal combines engineering models from both Mars rover programs, but converting these models for lunar use would still require extensive engineering work, including certification for spaceflight, adapting communications equipment, and integrating NASA's plutonium radioisotope power system.

NASA has not provided its own detailed cost estimate for PROMISE, leaving its overall financial viability uncertain. Despite this, the project's future will hinge on the ability to reduce costs while addressing technical challenges in adapting Earth-based rover hardware for lunar exploration.