China’s Chang’e-7 lunar probe, scheduled for launch in 2026, will target the moon’s south pole to search for water ice and test cutting-edge technologies critical for sustainable human activities on the moon.

• The probe is planned to be launched by a Long March 5 rocket in 2026, from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on Hainan Island.
• The mission, set for 2026, includes a robotic “flyer detector” designed to search for water.
• The Chang’e-7 mission will consist of four key components. These include an orbiter, a lander, a lunar rover and a flying robotic detector.
• It is part of China’s long-term roadmap is to establish a permanent lunar research station by the 2030s.