The Chang’e-7 mission will see China launch its aerial robotic explorer to reach the Moon’s far side in the year 2026.
China Plans to Locate Lunar Water Deposits
Through its Chang’e-7 lunar mission China plans to send a flying robot to the far side of the moon in 2026. This exploration mission looks for ice deposits on the moon to provide vital support for future human exploration and settlements.
China’s Lunar Ambitions
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) is actively working to establish itself as a major player in space exploration. The Chang’e-7 mission plans to investigate the south pole region of the moon because scientists think sunless deep craters there conceal trapped ice.
Wu Weiren, chief designer of China’s Lunar Exploration Project, explained the significance of this mission:
The moon’s south pole has deep cave formations which scientists believe contain preserved water. The flying robot will execute exploration missions across these regions while conducting inspections right at the sites.
China’s plan to establish a permanent research station on the moon depends on locating water on the lunar surface.
How Will the Flying Robot Work?
This robotic explorer will traverse the moon’s surface through leaps to access difficult terrain and shadowed craters potentially containing ice whereas traditional lunar rovers cannot. Its adjustable landing system lets the robot flex its legs to make smooth descents which mirror astronauts’ jumps on low-gravity surfaces.
The robot will perform at least three jumps from lit areas into dark regions to conduct research on ice deposits and their spatial organization. Research scientists understand that the instruments could face operational problems because of extreme cold temperatures that may drop to -250°F (-157°C).
Water Discovery: Finding water is a critical step needed for future lunar exploration missions.
Future lunar mission planning must integrate water discovery.
Finding solid ice deposits would change human deep-space exploration because astronauts could extract water from these deposits as a renewable resource.
The findings would greatly decrease lunar mission costs because water can be processed into oxygen for breathing and hydrogen for rocket fuel.
China’s Long-Term Lunar Goals
Through steady advancement of its lunar missions China works toward becoming the second nation to achieve human moon landings. China will launch its first crewed lunar mission in 2030 after the Chang’e-7 mission to establish a foundation for a research base on the moon.
Global Space Competition
China launches its lunar exploration program at the same time NASA and India’s ISRO fast-track their respective moon missions.
NASA’s Artemis Program plans to send astronauts back to the moon in 2026 while Chandrayaan-3 from India has already detected water deposits on the moon’s south pole.
The flying robot mission from China will provide essential data on lunar resources which will support future space exploration efforts as several countries race to explore and colonize the moon.
