China postpones Chang'e-7 mission to the lunar south pole

The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) has postponed the launch of the Chang'e-7 automated mission. The mission will not launch before the current launch window closes, although the agency has not specified the exact cause of the delay. Typhoon Narra, detected near the Wenchang Space Launch Site where the Long March-5 carrier rocket was scheduled to depart, is a likely factor. Other constraints affecting the timeline include flight trajectories, landing preparations, and illumination levels at the lunar south pole. Mission Objectives and Payload The Chang'e-7 complex consists of an orbital module, a landing module, a four-wheeled rover, and a hopping probe. The mission carries a total of 18 scientific instruments. The target landing site is the edge of the Shackleton crater at the Moon's south pole.