NASA reveals nuclear-powered PROMISE rover for future Moon Base operations

NASA unveiled PROMISE, a nuclear-powered rover designed to help prepare for humanity’s first Moon base. The announcement came on Saturday, November 6, at the MAX POWER aerospace expo and air show at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Set to explore the Moon’s South Pole, PROMISE will study the lunar surface and search for water ice and other valuable resources beneath the ground. Built using proven hardware from NASA’s Curiosity and Perseverance Mars rovers, it will carry a suite of science instruments, including a drill capable of reaching one metre below the surface. The rover will also test advanced computing and autonomous navigation technologies to explore permanently shadowed regions of the Moon. Targeted for launch in late 2028, its 18-month mission will gather data to help NASA establish a sustained human presence on the lunar surface. Video edited using footage owned by NASA.