China’s Chang’e 7 Eyes Lunar South Pole Ahead of 2030 Moon Landing
TL;DR
China’s Chang’e-7 mission, a multi-hop robotic expedition featuring an orbiter, lander, rover and a hopping spacecraft with international instruments, is targeting an Aug. 24, 2026 launch to the Moon’s south pole near Shackleton Crater. The mission will perform integrated orbital, landing, roaming and hopping operations to study the lunar environment and resources (including potential water ice), test new tech such as an image navigation system, and lay groundwork for a future crewed lunar landing by 2030 and the broader International Lunar Research Station with international partners.
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- The United States is about to wake up to the threat from China’s space program Ars Technica
- China is about to launch its most ambitious moon mission yet Scientific American
- China’s Chang’e-7 lunar ice-hunting mission set for Sunday launch SpaceNews
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