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China scraps ambitious launch of Chang’e-7 lunar mission due to need for ‘absolute success’
Yahoo • • science
Key Points:
- China has postponed its Chang'e-7 lunar mission, originally scheduled to launch soon from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan, due to unmet launch conditions.
- The China Manned Space Agency stated the mission cannot proceed during the planned launch window this year to ensure prudence, reliability, and absolute success.
- Chang'e-7 aimed to explore permanently shadowed craters on the lunar south pole and conduct environmental and resource surveys, targeting key technological breakthroughs.
- The Chang'e program is part of China's broader lunar exploration efforts, with Chang'e-6 having successfully returned lunar soil and rock samples from the moon's far side in 2024.
