NASA cancels its moon rover mission, citing cost overruns and launch delays

WASHINGTON (AP) — NASA is canceling a water-seeking moon rover because of cost overruns and launch delays. The space agency announced the news Wednesday, days before the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. The Viper rover was supposed to launch in 2023 aboard a lander provided by Astrobotic Technology. But extra testing and increased costs kept delaying the mission. NASA says Astrobotic’s Griffin lander will still aim for the moon’s south pole by the end of next year. The company’s first moonshot earlier this year ended in a fiery plunge over the South Pacific.