China's Chang'e-7 Lunar Probe set for launch

Mettis Global reported that China's Chang'e-7 lunar probe and its Long March-5 Y14 carrier rocket have been moved upright to the launch area at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in Hainan Province. The China Manned Space Agency said the launch will take place at a suitable moment, without naming a date. The probe reached the site in April and the rocket followed in July, and both have since completed assembly and testing.

Before liftoff, the agency still needs to run system checks, a combined test and propellant loading. Every facility and piece of equipment at the site was described as being in good working order.

The mission aims to make advances in several core technologies, including pinpoint landings on the lunar surface, legged movement, hopping and studies of permanently shadowed craters. Under the plan, orbiting, landing, roving and hopping will be combined to examine the environment and resources of the lunar south pole, with international cooperation built into the effort.