NASA explores Mars with Perseverance and proposes lunar PROMISE mission

NASA's Perseverance rover continues its successful mission in Mars' Jezero Crater, four years after its historic landing. The rover is currently investigating 4-billion-year-old rocks to determine if the planet once had environments suitable for life, such as lakes or oceans. Unlike the older Curiosity rover, Perseverance features improved wheel design and utilizes a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG), allowing it to operate for many years without traditional fuel.

Building on this success, NASA has proposed a new mission called PROMISE (Polar Rover for Observation, Mapping and In-Situ Exploration). This project involves repurposing a test model of the Perseverance rover—previously known as OPTIMISM—to explore the Moon's south pole. The lunar rover would be a hybrid of the Perseverance and Curiosity designs, utilizing an MMRTG powered by plutonium to navigate the lunar night and dark regions without relying on sunlight. The mission aims to study surface characteristics and investigate water ice deposits, which are critical for potential future lunar bases.