NASA reveals new lunar rover, PROMISE, to launch to moon in 2028

NASA unveiled plans for a new lunar rover named PROMISE, which is set to launch to the moon in 2028. The agency's officials emphasized that rovers and other infrastructure will be crucial for ensuring human survival on the lunar surface. PROMISE, modeled after Mars rovers Perseverance and Curiosity, will fly to the moon using a Blue Origin lander in late 2028, with a 18-month primary mission.

NASA aims to establish a permanent human presence on the moon within the next decade, with the Artemis missions serving as first steps. The upcoming Artemis II and Artemis III missions will test potential human landers, Blue Origin's Blue Moon and SpaceX's Starship, respectively. Artemis IV, set for 2028, will be the first mission to land humans on the moon in over 50 years.

NASA and its industry partners have shifted their approach to moon missions, focusing on a campaign involving lunar landers, rovers, scientific instruments, and other hardware. They have awarded 22 task orders of landers under the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program and six under the Venture Class Acquisition and Dedicated Rideshare Land Services (VADER), including an orbital transfer vehicle, communications satellites, and "MoonFall" drones for lunar exploration.

In the future, NASA may utilize Blue Origin's Blue Ring spacecraft to enhance communication capabilities at the moon, while SpaceX's Starlink will also be involved in testing longer-range communication abilities. The PROMISE rover, led by project scientist James Keane, will conduct scientific studies on the lunar regolith, radiation, and surface observations, ultimately helping to pave the way for human survival and exploration on the moon.