NASA may send a backup nuclear-powered Mars rover to the Moon

NASA is evaluating the possibility of sending a backup, nuclear-powered Mars rover to the Moon, modifying it for the lunar environment. The rover, named Promise, was originally designed for Mars, but engineers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory believe it can be adapted for lunar operations. The idea stems from years of successful operations of the Perseverance and Curiosity rovers on Mars, which have provided valuable experience.

According to an unnamed official, Isaacman, using existing hardware represents a creative way to advance NASA's goal of establishing a long-term human presence on the Moon. While the scientific instruments may need adjustments, the rover could perform useful science and exploration tasks. NASA studied a similar concept less than a decade ago with the Endurance rover proposal, which would have traversed nearly 2,000 km across the Moon's South Pole-Aitken basin, but it was never built.

The decision is not final, and NASA is assessing the feasibility of using Promise as a mainstay of its lunar fleet. The move aligns with the agency's accelerated timeline to land humans on the Moon's south pole before China. Mars is not a near-term priority. Casey Dreier of The Planetary Society noted the symbolic nature of repurposing leftover Mars hardware for lunar exploration.