China has delayed an upcoming moon mission after a separate rocket launch ended in a fiery explosion less than two weeks ago. The national manned space agency stated that the lunar mission "does not meet launch conditions and cannot take place during the planned window this year."
The cancelled flight involved the Chang'e-7 lunar probe mounted on a Long March 5 carrier rocket. The equipment was transferred vertically to the launching area at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province on August 19.
Media reports indicated the spacecraft was scheduled to depart over the weekend or on Monday. The mission was designed to search for water on the south pole of the moon. The presence of frozen water in permanently shadowed craters at the lunar south pole is considered a critical resource for sustaining future human outposts.
The probe is a key component of efforts by Beijing to land a crew on the lunar surface by 2030 and establish a permanent station by 2040.
Long March rocket explosion
The delay follows a dramatic failure the Monday before last, when a Chinese Long March 7A rocket exploded less than a minute and a half after take-off. The rocket was carrying a ChinaSat-4B communications satellite, also referred to as Zhongxing-4B.
State news agency Xinhua reported that an "anomaly" occurred while the rocket was in flight from the Wenchang Space Launch Site. Crowds watching the launch gasped as the rocket diverted from its path and turned into a fireball after 85 seconds. The resulting wreckage crashed into the South China Sea.
Global space race
China has invested billions into its space programme in recent years, working towards what President Xi Jinping has described as the "space dream" of the country. The national space programme has now overtaken Russia to become the second largest in the world, trailing only the United States. China already operates a manned space station in low Earth orbit to match American facilities.
In July, the space agency reported successfully landing a reusable rocket for the first time, marking a significant step in reducing launch costs and advancing its space ambitions. However, a string of failed launches by private organisations acquired by the Chinese government has prompted scrutiny. These failures have raised questions about whether China has overloaded its space programme over the past 12 months to compete directly with the American Artemis programme.
Despite the setback, the space agency noted on Wednesday that the takeoff site and equipment remained in good condition. Inspections are set to take place, with a launch "scheduled for the coming period."
