Texas · Regional Lead · 2026-10-20
Houston testing prepares VIPER rover for future lunar mission
NASA’s October 20 update places the fully built rover at Johnson Space Center for final tests.
NASA reported October 20 that its VIPER lunar rover is fully built and undergoing final testing at Johnson Space Center in Houston. The planned mission to the Moon’s south polar region is scheduled for 2027.
VIPER is intended to investigate water and other resources and collect information about terrain, lighting and temperature. The Houston work is an Earth-based preparation stage; it is not a claim that the rover is already exploring lunar craters.
The agency says mission operations will be run from Ames Research Center in California, with the rover expected to travel to Kennedy Space Center in Florida before launch. These facilities have different roles in preparing and operating the mission.
More News
Science · 2026-10-23
NASA details Earth-orbit rehearsals before next crewed Moon landing
Artemis III is planned for 2027, with four astronauts testing Orion alongside two commercial lander vehicles before a targeted 2028 lunar return.
NASA outlined its Artemis III flight plan on October 23 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The planned 2027 mission would launch Orion from Kennedy and keep four astronauts in Earth orbit for roughly two weeks, rather than take them to the lunar surface.
The crew would first meet a Blue Origin lander test vehicle. Astronauts would enter its cabin to evaluate conditions, controls and life-support equipment. Orion would later dock with a SpaceX Starship test vehicle, but the crew would remain outside Starship during that shorter demonstration.
Read articleBusiness · 2026-10-23
Canada sets November opening for C$5,000 trades completion bonus
Eligible newly certified Red Seal workers can prepare documents now; the application portal is scheduled to open November 16.
Canada announced October 23 that applications for its C$5,000 Red Seal Completion Bonus will open November 16. The program covers qualifying journeypersons who completed an apprenticeship and gained certification in a designated Red Seal trade on or after April 1, 2025.
Applicants must hold Canadian citizenship, permanent residence or protected-person status and must not be attending high school. Preparations include collecting certification details, an apprentice identification number, banking information and a Social Insurance Number. Some applicants will also need evidence of immigration status.
Read article