NASA's Backup Mars Rover May Get Its Chance To Shine (On The Moon) - Jalopnik

NASA’s Backup Mars Rover could get a new role, with discussions pointing to testing on the Moon rather than saving it only for Mars scenarios. The article, referencing a news conference on Tuesday, says NASA is “thinking very hard” about sending the backup model to the lunar south pole. The rationale is that having a robotic scout at the Moon would support future surface work as a Moon Base is planned. Curiosity and Perseverance, NASA’s latest-generation Mars rovers, remain on Mars, so a backup craft would provide engineers a way to diagnose issues without risking primary missions. The backup unit, built by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, would be exposed to harsher environments first on Earth or potentially the Moon. The piece notes these rovers can carry substantial payloads and use a plutonium-powered MMRTG generator for operation during long lunar nights.