Last Friday, the renowned American space - exploration firm Blue Origin landed a major contract from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The contract is for delivering the VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) to the Moon, utilizing the unmanned iteration of its 'Blue Moon' Mk1 lander.

In the past, the rover's landing plan faced setbacks. Due to project delays and cost overruns, NASA put the plan on hold last year. Then, in July of this year, the agency canceled it altogether and put out a call for new proposals in August.

This contract is part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program and is worth around $190 million. The 'Blue Moon' Mk1 is set to land near the lunar south pole. Once there, VIPER will conduct drilling operations to test the hypothesis regarding the presence of water ice.

This contract represents the first significant scientific mission for the 'Blue Moon' cargo lander. The launch is slated for late 2027. VIPER is anticipated to operate for roughly 100 days, and its findings will hold immense importance for NASA's future scientific objectives and the establishment of a long - term human presence on the Moon.