China is set to launch its ambitious Chang’e-7 mission in 2026, featuring a high-tech flying robot designed to explore the Moon’s permanently shadowed craters in search of water ice. The mission, a key step toward China’s long-term lunar presence, will include an orbiter, lander, rover, and the innovative robotic “flyer detector.”
Confirming water ice on the Moon’s south pole could be a game-changer for future space missions. If ice deposits are found, they could be converted into drinking water, oxygen, and even rocket fuel, reducing reliance on Earth-based resources.
According to Tang Yuhua, deputy chief designer of Chang’e-7, successfully locating lunar water could lower costs for space exploration and enable long-term human habitation on the Moon. The flying robot will navigate steep and shadowed regions that traditional rovers cannot access, offering an unprecedented look at these icy deposits.
An “Extremely Smart” Flying Robot
Unlike standard lunar rovers, this intelligent flying robot will “jump” across the lunar surface, allowing it to explore difficult terrain. It will rely on a rocket-powered propulsion system for mobility, using four fuel tanks and thrusters to navigate in the Moon’s airless environment.
•The flyer can leap dozens of kilometers in one jump.
•Its multi-legged design helps it land on uneven surfaces.
•It will perform at least three powered leaps before switching to solar power for extended surface exploration.
•Facing Extreme Lunar Conditions
The Chang’e-7 mission will operate in temperatures below -100°C, with the flying detector designed to survive and function in such harsh conditions. Wu Weiren, chief designer of China’s lunar program, explained that the robotic hopper will move between sunlit areas and dark craters, performing detailed analyses in the most challenging lunar environments.
Beyond searching for water, Chang’e-7 will test technologies for sustainable lunar habitation. China is also preparing for Chang’e-8 in 2028, which will work alongside Chang’e-7 to build an automated moon exploration network.
With crewed lunar missions planned by 2030, these advancements mark China’s serious push toward a permanent human presence on the Moon.
