Chang'e 7. Chang'e 7 () is a planned robotic Chinese lunar exploration mission expected to be launched in 2026 to target the lunar south pole. Like its predecessors, the spacecraft is named after the Chinese moon goddess Chang'e. The mission will include an orbiter, a lander, a mini-hopping probe, and a rover.

Overview 
The Chinese Lunar Exploration Program is designed to be conducted in four phases of incremental technological advancement: The first is simply reaching lunar orbit, a task completed by Chang'e 1 in 2007 and Chang'e 2 in 2010. The second is landing and roving on the Moon, as Chang'e 3 did in 2013 and Chang'e 4 did in 2019 (The rover still being active as of 2024). The third is collecting lunar samples from the near-side and far-side of the moon and sending them to Earth, a task accomplished by Chang'e 5 in 2020 and by Chang'e 6 mission in 2024. The fourth phase consists of development of a robotic research station near the Moon's south pole. The program aims to facilitate a crewed lunar landing in the 2030s and possibly build an outpost near the lunar south pole.

Chang'e-7 mission will try to land on the illuminated rim of Shackleton crater near the lunar south pole.

Scientific objectives
The official scientific objectives of Chang'e 7 mission are:
 Investigation and study of lunar surface environment and water ice in its soil.
 High-precision investigation and study of morphology, composition and structure of the Moon.
 Investigation and study of interior structure, magnetic field and thermal characteristics of the Moon.
 General investigation and study of surface environment of the south pole of the Moon.
 Moon-based observation and study of the Earth's magnetotail and plasmasphere.

Scientific payloads
Chang'e-7 will carry a total of 21 scientific payloads, including 6 international payloads, aiming to conduct detailed exploration of the environment and resources in the south polar region of the moon. Mission objectives include fixed-point landings. In situ observations of the permanently shadowed crater will be made by the mini-hopping probe, which will carry water molecule and hydrogen isotope analyzers.

Lunar orbiter
High Resolution Stereo Mapping Camera
At an altitude of 100 km, the resolution of the lunar surface is better than 0.5 m, and the imaging width is greater than 18 km
At an altitude of 15 km, the resolution of the lunar surface is better than 0.075 m, and the imaging width is greater than 0.9 km
Miniature Synthetic Aperture Radar
Imaging resolution better than 0.3 m
Wide Band Infrared Spectrum Mineral Imaging Analyzer
Lunar Neutron Gamma Spectrometer
Lunar Orbit Magnetometer
Lunar Surface Material Hyperspectral Imager (jointly developed by the Egyptian Space Agency and the Bahrain National Space Science Agency)
Moon-based Dual-channel Earth Radiation Spectrometer (developed by the Physical Meteorological Observatory in Davos, Switzerland)
Space Weather Global Monitoring Sensor Device (Developed by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation of Thailand and the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand)

Lunar lander
Landing Camera
Topography Camera
Lunar Surface Environment Detection System
Electric field probe
Low-energy ion probe
Low-energy electron probe
Intermediate/high energy particle probe
Dust probe
Lunar Seismograph
Laser Corner Reflector Array (developed by the Italian National Institute of Nuclear Physics-Frascati National Laboratory)
Lunar Dust and Electric Field Probe (developed by the Russian Academy of Space Sciences)
Moon-based Astronomical Observation Telescope (developed by the International Lunar Observatory Association)

Lunar rover
Panoramic Camera
Rover Magnetometer
Lunar Penetrating Radar
Lunar Raman Spectrometer
In-situ Measuring System of Volatiles and Isotopes on Lunar Surface

Mini-hopping probe
Water Molecule and Hydrogen Isotope Analyzer

Launch
The probe is planned to be launched by a Long March 5 rocket in 2026, from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on Hainan Island.

References

External links

Chinese Lunar Exploration Program
Missions to the Moon
Chinese space probes
2026 in China
2026 in spaceflight