China delayed the launch of an ambitious space mission to search for frozen water on the moon until beyond this year.
The Chang’e-7 spacecraft couldn’t proceed with its blastoff within this year’s window because the launch requirements weren’t met, the China National Space Administration said in a short statement late Sunday.
Chang’e-7 is more than just another Chinese trip to the moon.
The mission is designed to search for frozen water and survey the lunar south pole, a region that could support permanent bases and has also become a focus of NASA’s Artemis program.
Beyond the Chang’e-7 probe, China plans to follow it with Chang’e-8, with the two missions intended to lay the groundwork for a future lunar research station.
China delayed the launch of an ambitious space mission to search for frozen water on the moon until beyond this year.
The Chang’e-7 spacecraft couldn’t proceed with its blastoff within this year’s window because the launch requirements weren’t met, the China National Space Administration said in a short statement late Sunday. It didn’t elaborate on the reasons or when the next launch would be.
Chang’e-7 is more than just another Chinese trip to the moon. The mission is designed to search for frozen water and survey the lunar south pole, a region that could support permanent bases and has also become a focus of NASA’s Artemis program. China is targeting a crewed lunar landing by 2030, while NASA plans to return astronauts to the surface in 2028, putting the top space powers on increasingly parallel tracks in the race to establish a lasting presence on the moon.
Recently, a Chinese startup took a big step toward closing a major remaining technology gap with the US — one that could make space travel more affordable. LandSpace Technology Co. last week became the first private mainland company to land an orbital rocket booster, joining Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. LandSpace is now pursuing an initial public offering.
Beyond the Chang’e-7 probe, China plans to follow it with Chang’e-8, with the two missions intended to lay the groundwork for a future lunar research station.
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Published on August 24, 2026
