China's Chang'e 7 lunar mission will host international instruments
by Simon Mansfield
Sydney, Australia (SPX) Apr 25, 2024

China's upcoming Chang'e 7 lunar exploration mission is set to include six scientific instruments from six different countries and one international organization, as announced by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) during the recent China Space Day celebration in Wuhan, Hubei Province.

Scheduled for launch in 2026, the Chang'e 7 mission will focus on investigating the lunar south pole, specifically examining the surface environment, water, ice, and volatile components in the lunar soil. Additionally, studies on the lunar terrain, composition, and structure are planned.

The instruments, contributed by Egypt, Bahrain, Italy, Russia, Switzerland, Thailand, and the International Lunar Observatory Association, underscore the mission's collaborative nature. Highlights of these contributions include:

- Italy's laser retroreflector arrays for high-precision lunar surface measurements and orbiter navigation services. - A Russian-developed instrument to study the dusty plasma environment on the lunar surface. - A telescope by the International Lunar Observatory Association, designed for celestial observations from the moon.

Furthermore, the orbiter will be equipped with: - A hyperspectral camera developed by Egypt and Bahrain to analyze lunar surface materials. - A Swiss-Chinese collaborative two-channel spectrometer to study Earth's radiation balance from a lunar vantage point. - An advanced sensor package to monitor space weather, providing crucial data on solar storms and their effects.

In another development, CNSA has expanded its partnership for the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), which now includes new collaborators from Nicaragua, the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization, and the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences. These partners will contribute to various phases of the ILRS, aiming for a basic model of the station to be operational by 2030. This station is intended for prolonged autonomous research with occasional human visits.

China marks its annual Space Day on April 24, commemorating the launch of its first satellite in 1970.

Based on a Xinhua News Agency article

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