NASA ENGINEERS TESTED the first robotic moon rover last week as its prototype practiced descending off a test model of a lunar lander ramp at the Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley.

Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) is a mobile robot that will go to the moon’s south pole in search of water. The testing is a critical step for the rover’s trip to ensure its smooth exit from the lander on the moon.

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Prachi is a Dow Jones News Fund intern at Bay City News. She is a journalism graduate from University of Southern California. She previously worked at Annenberg Media as a Multimedia Journalist and the Managing Editor. Prachi has covered social justice, climate and human interest stories. She is interested in written and visual storytelling.