China says unmanned moon mission delayed over 'launch conditions'

China has abruptly delayed its ambitious Chang'e-7 lunar mission, which was set to search for water ice on the moon. The launch, originally scheduled for the coming days from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on Hainan Island, cannot proceed due to the mission failing to meet the required launch conditions, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

The decision, made after a comprehensive assessment, is based on principles of prudence, reliability and absolute mission success. The agency did not provide further details on the reasons behind the postponement. The Chang'e-7 mission was the seventh in China's lunar exploration program, aiming to break through key technologies and explore permanently shadowed craters on the moon, conducting environmental and resource surveys of the lunar south pole.

The mission was set to return with rock and soil samples from the far side of the moon, marking a world first.