​​In 2023, NASA will launch VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Pol | Tech Updates and News

​​In 2023, NASA will launch VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover), which will trek across the surface of the moon and hunt for water ice that could one day be used to make rocket fuel. The rover will be armed with the best instruments and tools that NASA can come up with. But while much of VIPER is one of a kind, custom-made for the mission, much of the software that it’s running is open-source, meaning it’s available for use, modification, and distribution by anyone for any purpose. If the mission is successful, it may be an inflection point that causes the space industry to think differently about how it develops and operates robots.