China planned Chang’e-7, its most complex lunar mission, to search for water ice near the Moon’s south pole
This image taken from video animation at Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC) on June 4, 2024 shows the lander-ascender combination of Chang’e-6 probe waiting to lift off from lunar surface. PHOTO: XINHUA
China said on Sunday it has postponed its Chang’e-7 lunar mission after a “comprehensive assessment”, according to state-run Xinhua news agency.
The uncrewed Chang’e-7 mission “does not meet the conditions for launch and therefore cannot be carried out within the launch window scheduled for this year”, Xinhua said, citing authorities.
Before Sunday’s announcement, the Chang’e-7 spacecraft, had been expected to be launched as early as next week.
The spacecraft was expected to search for frozen water near the moon’s south pole.
Read More: China readies robotic lunar mission in search for water ice
Earlier, China announced to send Chang’e-7, its most technologically complex lunar mission to date, in its search for frozen stores of water in permanently shadowed craters near the moon’s south pole.
The uncrewed mission, named after a mythical Chinese goddess of the moon, designed the deployment of a robotic lander, rover, and “hopping” probe to one of the coldest places in the solar system.
It will represent a major step towards Beijing’s long-term goal of building a permanent human presence on the moon, with plans underway for a crewed lunar landing before 2030 and the setting up of a joint research station with Russia by 2035.
