Touch It and Lose It: The Paradox of China Chang'e-7 Lunar Water Mission

The quest for lunar water—the key to humanity's long-term survival on the moon—is hitting a major scientific hurdle. China's Chang'e-7 mission, scheduled for 2026, aims to be the first to sample lunar ice directly, but a new research paper warns that the act of touching it might cause it to vanish forever.

Key Goals of China Chang'e-7 Lunar Water Mission

The spacecraft is set to land near the rim of the Shackleton crater at the lunar south pole. This region is perpetually shadowed, acting as a natural freezer for ice that hasn't seen sunlight in billions of years. To find this treasure, China will deploy both a rover and a specialized hopper designed to jump into craters.

Securing lunar water isn't just a scientific curiosity; it's a logistical necessity. It's expected to provide drinking water, oxygen, and hydrogen for rocket fuel, effectively turning the moon into a gas station for deep-space exploration.

The Scientific Risk of Direct Sampling

Despite the high stakes, a team of scientists warns that lunar ice is incredibly fragile. According to their paper, any physical contact or thermal heat from exploration equipment could lead to sublimation—where ice turns directly into gas. This means the very process of measuring the water could destroy the sample before researchers can analyze it.

Experts emphasize that the mission must use ultra-delicate techniques to avoid contamination. If Chang'e-7 fails to handle the ice with care, it could compromise the integrity of the moon's most valuable resource and mislead future scientific data.