NASA outlines new lunar-base missions and says it may send a spare Mars rover to the moon

What is PROMISE?

PROMISE is the name NASA has given to a spare engineering rover model from the Curiosity and Perseverance program. Officials said they are studying whether that rover could be repurposed for a lunar mission instead of remaining on Earth as a test vehicle NYT,Terra.

Why is NASA sending more robots to the moon before building a base?

NASA says it still needs more data about lunar conditions, resources and surface operations before people can live and work there for long periods. The new robotic missions are meant to deliver instruments, test technologies and help build up infrastructure in advance of later human activity infobae,РИА Новости,NBC News.

What is still undecided in NASA's plan?

NASA has not finalized whether the spare rover will actually fly to the moon, and officials have said they are considering other launch options after problems with Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket complicated earlier plans Terra,Vienna Online,BFMTV.