Launch Preview: Chang’e 7 headlines week of Chinese and Starlink launches

This week brings a full slate of Chinese space launches alongside three SpaceX Starlink missions, following China's launch failure last week. The standout is Chang'e 7, a robotic lunar explorer launching on Monday aboard a Long March 5 rocket. Per NASASpaceflight, the eight-thousand-two-hundred-kilogram spacecraft includes an orbiter, lander, rover, and mini-hopper designed to explore the Moon's south pole—specifically landing near Shackleton Crater to search for water ice in permanently shadowed regions. Also scheduled this week are two traditional Chinese rocket launches and the second test flight of China's partially reusable ZhuQue-3 launcher. Together, these launches underscore both the pace of global space operations and the continued international push toward reusable and partially reusable launch systems.

Listen to this story

Hear this and more stories in a personalized audio briefing.

Open The Chonkerton