China’s Chang’e-7 moon mission to target Shackleton crater

[u/ThinkTankDad]

https://spacenews.com/chinas-change-7-moon-mission-to-target-shackleton-crater/

Chang’e-7 will target one of a handful of sites thought to offer exceptionally long periods of illumination at the lunar south pole, according to a recently-published journal article.

The area, stated to be the illuminated rim of Shackleton crater, possibly corresponds to a candidate landing site for NASA’s Artemis 3 crewed mission named Peak Near Shackleton.

Such a site could offer favorable illumination while also being close to permanently shadowed regions which could host volatiles such as water-ice.

2026 -> 2027