Chinese lunar south pole survey mission with orbiter, lander, rover, and mini-hopping probe.
Chang'e 7 is China's next major lunar mission, designed as a comprehensive survey of the lunar south pole. The mission is notably ambitious in scope, comprising four separate spacecraft elements: an orbiter, a lander, a rover, and a mini-hopping probe — each tasked with different aspects of south pole exploration.
The mini-hopping probe is the most novel element. It will be capable of hopping into permanently shadowed craters where conventional rovers cannot operate, directly sampling the environment where water ice is most likely to exist. This approach circumvents one of the biggest challenges of south pole exploration — the inability of solar-powered rovers to enter and exit permanently dark craters.
Chang'e 7 is a precursor to China's planned International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), a permanent base at the south pole being developed in partnership with Russia and other nations. The mission will help characterize candidate sites and demonstrate technologies needed for the permanent station, currently planned for the 2030s.
Conduct the most comprehensive survey of the lunar south pole to date, combining orbital mapping, surface exploration, and subsurface access.
Search for water ice using multiple approaches: the mini-hopper entering permanently shadowed craters, the rover analyzing surface material, and the orbiter mapping hydrogen signatures from above.
Deploy a novel hopping probe into permanently shadowed craters where temperatures can reach -230°C, directly sampling environments that conventional rovers cannot access.
Deploy a seismograph to detect moonquakes and characterize the structure of the lunar interior at the south pole, complementing data from Chandrayaan-3's ILSA instrument.
Evaluate candidate sites for China's planned International Lunar Research Station, assessing terrain, illumination, resource availability, and environmental conditions.
Chinese scientists published a high-resolution thermal stability model mapping water ice deposits near Shackleton Crater to guide the Chang'e 7 mission's landing site selection and water ice detection efforts. The mission remains on track for an August 2026 launch.
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