VIPER mission also bitten by tech supply chain woes
Progress on NASA’s Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) mission to search for useful chemicals at the Moon’s South Pole has been delayed by two tech-related issues springing from the COVID-19 pandemic. As explained by the space agency’s Office of Inspector General and Office of Audits in a report [PDF] published on Wednesday, NASA staff «reported they experienced collaboration challenges due to limitations of remote, virtual interactions caused by the pandemic and resulting mandatory telework for much of the NASA workforce.» Scratch building Moon rovers off the list of jobs that are suitable for the new normal of hybrid work. The pandemic also made it hard for NASA to get the hardware needed for the rover. «VIPER long-lead acquisitions – such as the rover solar power array and avionics unit – have been affected by aerospace industry supply chain delays caused by COVID-19, as have delivery of computer boards and motor parts,» the report states.
