Due to need for 'absolute success,' China delays critical Moon launch to 2027
"The Chang’e 7 mission does not meet the conditions for launch.".
"The Chang’e 7 mission does not meet the conditions for launch."
The short version
- “The Chang’e 7 mission does not meet the conditions for launch.” China’s “Manned Space” program issued a terse announcement on Sunday regarding its much-anticipated Chang’e 7 lunar exploration mission.
- Consisting of a lunar orbiter, lander, rover, and a mini-hopper of a probe, the mission was due to launch as early as Sunday on a Long March 5 rocket.
- It is intended to land at the South Pole of the Moon.
What happened
Most likely, Sunday’s delayed launch was due to Typhoon Narra , which has 45-mph winds (equivalent to a moderate Tropical Storm) and continues to meander around in the waterway separating Hainan island, where the spaceport is located, and mainland China. According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, this storm is expected to continue tracking in this general area for the next two or three days, likely providing inclement weather at the Wenchang launch site.
Why it matters
Plausibly, then, Chinese forecasters determined that the weather would not break before the current launch window to reach the lunar pole from Wenchang closes.
Summary by Nerd News Network. Read the full article at Ars Technica via the links above and below.