China postpones ‘Chang’e-7’ lunar exploration launch by a month: NARIT

The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) announced today that China has postponed the launch of the Long March 5 Y14 rocket carrying the Chang’e-7 lunar mission by about a month.

The launch was originally scheduled for August 25.

NARIT said the postponement is unrelated to Thailand’s CE-7 MATCH scientific instrument, which will be carried aboard the Chinese spacecraft, and that the instrument remains fully prepared for the mission.

CE-7 MATCH//Photo by NARIT

NARIT said it will announce the new launch date and time as soon as official confirmation is received.

Chang’e-7 is the next major mission in China’s lunar exploration programme and is designed to explore the Moon’s south polar region, particularly permanently shadowed areas that may contain water ice.

The mission comprises an orbiter, lander, rover and hopping probe, which will work together to survey the lunar environment and resources.

It follows the 2024 Chang’e-6 mission, which became the first mission to return samples from the Moon’s far side. Chang’e-7 forms part of China’s broader plan to achieve a crewed lunar landing before 2030.

The Long March 5 Y14 is the heavy-lift carrier rocket that will send Chang’e-7 on its journey to the Moon.

Its primary role is to lift the spacecraft into space and place it on an Earth-Moon transfer trajectory, after which Chang’e-7, carrying the CE-7 MATCH scientific instrument, will continue its journey under its own propulsion.