Chang'e 7 (Chinese:嫦娥七号;pinyin:Cháng'é qīhào) is a planned roboticChineselunar exploration mission expected to be launched in August, 2026 to target thelunar south pole.[6] Like its predecessors, the spacecraft is named after the Chinese moon goddessChang'e. The mission will include an orbiter, alander, a mini-hopping probe, and arover.[7]
TheChinese Lunar Exploration Program is designed to be conducted in four[8] phases of incremental technological advancement: The first is simply reaching lunar orbit, a task completed byChang'e 1 in 2007 andChang'e 2 in 2010. The second is landing and roving on the Moon, asChang'e 3 did in 2013 andChang'e 4 did in 2019 (The rover still being active as of 2024). The third is collectinglunar samples from the near-side and far-side of theMoon and sending them toEarth, a task accomplished byChang'e 5 in 2020 and byChang'e 6 mission in 2024. The fourth phase consists of development of a robotic research station near the Moon's south pole.[8][9][10] The program aims to facilitate a crewed lunar landing in the 2030s and possibly build an outpost near the lunar south pole.[11]
TheChang'e-7 mission features a novel lunar scout that will aid the rover to look for water at the south pole of the moon. The scout, propelled by rocket propulsion, will explore regions that no rovers can. The robot will be powered bysolar energy and will be equipped with cameras and a scientific instrument to analyze thelunar environment.[12]
Chang'e-7 mission will try to land on the illuminated rim ofShackleton crater near the lunar south pole.[13]
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 thesouth polar region of the Moon. Mission objectives include fixed-point landings. In situ observations of the permanently shadowedcrater will be made by the mini-hopping probe, which will carrywater molecule andhydrogen isotope analyzers.[2][15][16]
Lunar orbiter
High Resolution Stereo Mapping Camera
At analtitude of 100 km, the resolution of thelunar 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
