China called off its ice-hunting Moon shot a day before launch

China cancelled the Chang’e 7 Moon mission a day before launch, citing that the spacecraft failed to meet launch conditions. The Long March 5 stack comprised an orbiter, lander, rover and a hopper intended to test crater-hopping and survive lunar nights near Shackleton Crater. A comprehensive safety assessment pushed the launch window to early 2027, allowing competitors such as Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander to potentially reach the polar region first.