After the success of its Chang’e 4 lander on the far side of the Moon, China has laid out an ambitious roadmap for continued lunar exploration. Chang’e 6 is scheduled to head to the Moon in 2023 or 2024, and Chang’e 7 in 2024 with the aim of landing at the south pole.
Chang’e 7 will have multiple components, including an orbiter, a relay satellite, a lander, a rover, and a mini-flying craft. Scientific payloads will study volatile compounds and isotopes, and measure heat flow through the lunar soil, reports Space.com. The flying craft will carry instrumentation to measure water molecules in permanently shadowed areas.
Chang’e 8, scheduled for the late 2020s, also will focus on the south pole. That mission will test technology for using local resources and 3D-printing manufacturing.