Mission Summary
Chang’e 7 is China’s planned mission to the lunar south pole, the most ambitious robotic expedition yet aimed at that region. Targeted to launch in 2026 on a Long March 5, it is designed to search for water ice and to scout the area for a future research base.
The mission is a stack of four craft: an orbiter, a lander, a rover, and a first-of-its-kind hopping probe that will leap from sunlit ground into permanently shadowed craters to look for ice where no rover can safely go. Together they carry more than 20 instruments, including several from international partners, and aim for the illuminated rim of Shackleton crater.
Chang’e 7, with the Chang’e 8 mission to follow, is meant to lay the groundwork for the China-led International Lunar Research Station. Its hopper, precision-landing system, and polar science make it a central step in China’s plan to build a lasting presence at the Moon’s south pole.
Sources and notes can be found on the Sources page.
