A Mission to Map Lunar Water Ice – CS & CIVS Distinguished Speaker Seminar

Discover how NASA’s VIPER rover will explore the lunar South Pole!

Terry Fong, NASA Senior Scientist for Autonomous Systems and Chief Roboticist at NASA Ames Research Center, will present an overview of the VIPER mission, the robot’s design, lunar surface simulation and interactive mission operations.

During VIPER’s exploration of the Moon, the rover will endure extreme temperature conditions (40K to 300K), dynamic lighting and complex terrain, while near-real-time rover driving will present new planetary mission operational challenges. VIPER is scheduled to launch to the Moon in August 2027 on-board Blue Origin’s “New Glenn” rocket and “Blue Moon Mark 1” (MK1) lunar lander.

About the VIPER

VIPER is a NASA mission designed to explore the Moon’s extreme polar environment in search of water ice. VIPER will land near at “Mons Mouton” near the South Pole of the Moon and spend approximately 100-days mapping and surveying four different “ice stability regions.” This will help scientists better understand lunar polar water and volatiles across the solar system.

Location

CIVS Immersive Theater, Powers 123
Hammond Campus

To request a disability-related accommodation, please contact the Office for Civil Rights at civilrights@pnw.edu or (219) 989-2163 five days prior to the event.

In accordance with Purdue policies, all persons have equal access to Purdue University’s educational programs, services, and activities, without regard to race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, genetic information, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or status as a veteran. See Purdue’s Nondiscrimination Policy Statement. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these policies, please contact the Office for Civil Rights at civilrights@pnw.edu or (219) 989-2337.