NASA plans to send its six-wheeled PROMISE rover to the lunar south pole in late 2028. Nuclear power is intended to keep the vehicle working through darkness, opening terrain that challenges solar-powered exploration. The planned mission would examine material below the surface and measure conditions for later human visits, using hardware inherited from earlier rover development. Surface operations are planned for 18 months.
NASA’s PROMISE vehicle is intended to explore the Moon’s southern polar terrain, including ground that sunlight never reaches. The agency announced the rover on November 7, with delivery aimed at late 2028 and surface operations planned for 18 months. Six wheels and a nuclear power supply form the basis of the design: the vehicle is meant to continue working during the lunar night as well as inside permanently shadowed areas.[1], [2]
An approximately 1 metre drill would retrieve material for analysis of its composition. Cameras and spectrometers will accompany instruments measuring temperature and radiation. These measurements are intended to characterize conditions that future crews could encounter. The radiation-tolerant onboard computer is designed to support autonomous activity, letting the rover conduct its surface investigation with computing hardware adapted to the lunar environment.[1]
Development is led by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, drawing on spare components and test hardware from the Curiosity and Perseverance missions. Blue Origin’s Mark 1 lander is the planned delivery vehicle. PROMISE’s surface operations are intended to last 18 months, examining material in shadowed terrain and gathering environmental measurements for later human exploration.[1]
