Chang'e 7

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Chang'e 7
Mission typeOrbiter, Lander, lunar rover, flying probe
OperatorCNSA
Spacecraft properties
ManufacturerCAST
Start of mission
Launch date2024 (planned)
RocketChang Zheng 5
Launch siteWenchang
Moon lander
Chinese Lunar Exploration Program
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Chang'e 7 (Chinese: 嫦娥七号; pinyin: Cháng'é qīhào) is a planned robotic Chinese lunar exploration mission expected to be launched in 2024 to target the lunar south pole. Like its predecessors, the spacecraft is named after the Chinese moon goddess Chang'e.

Overview[]

The Chinese Lunar Exploration Program is designed to be conducted in four[1] 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 early 2022). The third is collecting lunar samples from the near-side and sending them to Earth, a task accomplished by Chang'e 5 in 2020/21 and to be met by the future Chang'e 6 mission. The fourth phase consists of development of a robotic research station near the Moon's south pole.[1][2][3] The program aims to facilitate a crewed lunar landing in the 2030s and possibly build an outpost near the lunar south pole.[4]

Launch[]

The probe will be launched by a Long March 5 rocket in 2024, from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on Hainan Island.[5]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Chang'e 4 press conference. CNSA, broadcast on 14 January 2019.
  2. ^ China's Planning for Deep Space Exploration and Lunar Exploration before 2030. (PDF) XU Lin, ZOU Yongliao, JIA Yingzhuo. Space Sci., 2018, 38(5): 591-592. doi:10.11728/cjss2018.05.591
  3. ^ A Tentative Plan of China to Establish a Lunar Research Station in the Next Ten Years. Zou, Yongliao; Xu, Lin; Jia, Yingzhuo. 42nd COSPAR Scientific Assembly. Held 14–22 July 2018, in Pasadena, California, USA, Abstract id. B3.1-34-18.
  4. ^ Huang, Echo (26 April 2018). "China lays out its ambitions to colonize the moon and build a "lunar palace"". Quartz.
  5. ^ Jones, Andrew (5 August 2020). "China is moving ahead with lunar south pole and near-Earth asteroid missions". SpaceNews. Retrieved 5 August 2020.

External links[]

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