AdvertisementAdvertisementEast AsiaA Jielong-3 carrier rocket carrying two satellites, the Dongfang Huiyan Hyperspectral 01 and 02, lifts off from a launch ship off the coast of Haiyang in eastern China's Shandong province on Aug 5, 2026. (Photo: CN-STR/AFP)24 Aug 2026 02:06AM (Updated: 24 Aug 2026 02:10AM) Bookmark Bookmark WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedInAdd CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results.Read a summary of this article on FAST.Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST BEIJING: China's manned space agency said on Sunday (Aug 23) it is delaying a research moonmission that is part of Beijing's efforts to land a crew there by 2030, less than two weeks after a rare launch failure.The agency said after a "comprehensive assessment" the mission, which involved sending the Chang'e-7 lunar probe on a Long March 5 carrier rocket, "does not meet launch conditions and cannot take place during the planned window this year".The decision to delay was "based on the principle of prudence, reliability and absolute mission success," it added, without providing further details on what conditions weren't met or when the launch would be rescheduled.The mission - meant to search for water on the moon's south pole - was scheduled to depart either over the weekend or Monday, according to media reports.Show MoreShow LessLast week, the agency said the probe and carrier rocket had been moved to the takeoff area at Wenchang Space Launch Center in southern Hainan province.As of Wednesday, the takeoff site and equipment were in good condition, with inspections to take place and a launch "scheduled for the coming period".China hunts for lunar ice in one of solar system's coldest placesThe Chang'e-7 delay comes just under two weeks after media reports showed a rocket launched from the Hainan site had exploded, as crowds watched a fiery ball in the sky.The failed mission involved a Long March 7A carrier rocket, which had lifted off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site, state news agency Xinhua said at the time.An "anomaly" occurred when the rocket carrying the Zhongxing-4B communications satellite was in flight, Xinhua added.The cause of the failure was under investigation, it said.Beijing has ploughed billions of dollars into its space programme in recent years to achieve what President Xi Jinping calls the country's "space dream".China successfully landed a reusable rocket for the first time in July, according to its space agency, marking a major step in its space ambitions and in reducing launch costs.The country is aiming to land astronauts on the Moon before 2030, a race in which the United States is also competing with its Artemis programme.China eyes new frontiers in push for space leadershipSource: AFP/fsNewsletterWeek in ReviewSubscribe to our Chief Editor’s Week in ReviewOur chief editor shares analysis and picks of the week's biggest news every Saturday.Sign up for our newslettersGet our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inboxSubscribe hereGet the CNA appStay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best storiesDownload hereGet WhatsApp alertsJoin our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat appJoin hereAlso worth readingContent is loading...Expand to read the full storyGet bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST