Chang'e 7 is a Chinese robotic lunar exploration mission designed to study the Moon’s south polar region. Like previous missions in the Chang'e program, the spacecraft is named after Chang'e, the Chinese Moon goddess.

The spacecraft consists of four main components: an orbiter, lander, rover, and mini-hopping probe. The mission will launch aboard a Long March 5 rocket from Launch Pad 101 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan, China. The spacecraft will travel to the Moon and enter lunar orbit before deploying the lander and surface vehicles.

The primary objective of Chang'e 7 is to conduct a detailed survey of the lunar south pole, including searching for water ice and other volatile materials in permanently shadowed regions. The mission will investigate the Moon’s geology, surface environment, and resources while collecting data to support future lunar exploration.

The lander will deploy a rover and a mini-hopping probe designed to explore areas that are difficult to reach with conventional vehicles. The hopping probe will enter permanently shadowed craters to study the composition of the lunar surface and search for signs of water molecules and hydrogen-bearing materials.

Chang'e 7 will carry 21 scientific payloads, including instruments for lunar imaging, topographic mapping, environmental measurements, and resource detection. The mission will also include international contributions, with payloads provided by partners including Egypt, Bahrain, Italy, Russia, Switzerland, and Thailand, as well as the International Lunar Observatory Association.

The mission is part of the fourth phase of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program, which focuses on establishing robotic exploration capabilities near the Moon’s south pole. Data gathered by Chang'e 7 will support the development of the planned International Lunar Research Station and future crewed lunar missions.

The Chinese Lunar Exploration Program has progressed through several stages: lunar orbit missions with Chang'e 1 and Chang'e 2, lunar landing and rover missions with Chang'e 3 and Chang'e 4, sample-return missions with Chang'e 5 and Chang'e 6, and future south polar exploration missions including Chang'e 7 and Chang'e 8.

The Long March 5 is a Chinese heavy-lift launch vehicle developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT). It is the first Chinese launch vehicle designed to use exclusively non-hypergolic liquid propellants. It is the fifth iteration of the Long March rocket family.

Stats

Height: 56.97 m (186.9 ft)

Diameter: 5 m (16 ft)

Mass: 854,500 kg (1,883,900 lb)

Stages: 2

There are currently two CZ-5 variants: CZ-5 and CZ-5B. The maximum payload capacities are approximately 25,000 kg (55,000 lb) to low Earth orbit (for CZ-5B) and approximately 14,000 kg (31,000 lb) to geostationary transfer orbit (for CZ-5).

The Long March 5 roughly matches the capabilities of American NSSL heavy-lift launch vehicles such as the Delta IV Heavy. It is currently the most powerful member of the Long March rocket family and the world's fourth most powerful orbital launch vehicle currently in operation, trailing the Delta IV Heavy, Falcon Heavy, and the Space Launch System.

The first CZ-5 launched from Wenchang Space Launch Site on 3 November 2016 and placed its payload in a suboptimal but workable initial orbit. The second CZ-5 rocket, launched on 2 July 2017, failed due to an engine problem in the first stage.

After an interval of almost two and a half years, the Long March 5 vehicle's return to flight mission (third launch) successfully occurred on 27 December 2019 with the launch and placement of the experimental Shijian-20 communications satellite into geostationary transfer orbit, thereby paving the way for the successful launch of Tianwen 1 Mars mission, lunar Chang'e 5 sample-return mission, and the modular space station, all of which require the lifting capabilities of a heavy lift launch vehicle.

The Wenchang Space Launch Site located in Wenchang, Hainan, China, is a rocket launch site, one of the two spacecraft launch sites of Xichang Satellite Launch Center.

It is a former suborbital test center. It is China's fourth and southernmost space vehicle launch facility (spaceport). It has been specially selected for its low latitude, which is only 19° north of the equator, which will allow for an increase in payload necessary for launching China's future space station. It is capable of launching the Long March 5, currently the most powerful Chinese rocket.

Chang'e 7 is planned to land near the rim of Shackleton Crater in the Moon's south polar region. The landing area was chosen because it provides extended periods of sunlight for solar power while also offering access to nearby permanently shadowed regions, where water ice is believed to exist. The mission's lander, rover, and hopping probe will explore this environment and investigate lunar water ice and other volatile materials.

The lunar south pole is one of the most scientifically valuable regions on the Moon because permanently shadowed craters can remain cold enough to preserve water ice for billions of years. Shackleton Crater is considered one of the most promising locations for studying these deposits, making it an important target for future robotic and human exploration.

Photo courtesy of NASA.