China will launch Chang'e-7 to Shackleton Crater on August 24
Technology
China is gearing up to launch its Chang'e-7 mission on August 24, 2026, aiming to explore the moon's south pole, specifically the Shackleton Crater.
The mission will send an orbiter, lander, rover, and a hopper to search for water ice and study the lunar surface.
Chang'e-7 camera to image Milky Way
Chang'e-7 is not just about robots: it is packed with new tech like a hopper that can jump between sunlit and shadowy craters using shock absorbers.
There is also a navigation system designed for deep space.
Plus, scientists from Russia, Italy, Bahrain, Egypt, Thailand, Switzerland, and even Hawaii and Hong Kong are sending instruments.
One highlight: a wide-field camera that will snap the first-ever color photos of the Milky Way from the moon!