> A nonfunctional “mass simulator” will take its place. ... NASA had spent $450 million on VIPER, which is already fully assembled with its science instruments installed ... testing of the rover to make sure it would survive the shaking of a rocket launch and the harsh conditions of space has not been completed. The cancellation would save at least $84 million, as NASA would no longer need to pay to complete the tests or to operate the rover on the moon ... The agency is still planning to pay Astrobotic $323 million to [take the mass simulator to the moon].
If you've already built the rover and are paying to transport it to the moon regardless, why not skip the testing and send the rover instead of a "mass simulator"? Then if it works you have a functional rover on the moon and paying to operate it is worth it, and if it doesn't work then it's the same as if you sent something non-functional on purpose.
If you've already built the rover and are paying to transport it to the moon regardless, why not skip the testing and send the rover instead of a "mass simulator"? Then if it works you have a functional rover on the moon and paying to operate it is worth it, and if it doesn't work then it's the same as if you sent something non-functional on purpose.