Chang'e 8 (Chinese: 嫦娥八号; pinyin: Cháng'é báhào) is a planned robotic mission by China to explore the lunar south pole and to establish the technical predicate for the future International Lunar Research Station (ILRS). The mission is expected to launch in 2028 and will include a lander, a rover, and a robot.[1][2]
Overview
China intends to launch the Chang'e 8 mission as part of its plan to construct the International Lunar Research Station during the 2030s. Chang'e 8 will follow in the footsteps of the Chang'e 7 mission, planned for 2026, and continue the latter mission's physical investigation of the lunar south pole region while pursuing new experiments such as in-situ resource utilization, which may include testing the feasilibity of 3D-printing on the lunar surface.[3] The mission will serve as the basis for a larger scale robotic and crewed lunar research station during the ensuing decade.[1]
The mission will include 200 kilograms of "piggyback" payload capacity available for international instruments. CNSA has set December 31, 2023 as the deadline for the submission of letters of intent by interested parties to contribute payloads to the mission.[4]
Potential landing areas
Wang Qiong, deputy chief designer of the Chang'e-8 mission, indicated possible lunar south pole landing areas include the following regions: Leibnitz Beta, Amundsen crater, Cabeus crater, and the ridge connecting the Shackleton and de Gerlache craters.[1]
Scientific objectives
In the October 2023 document that accompanied CNSA's announcement of international cooperation opportunities for the Chang'e 8 mission, the following mission aims are listed:[4]
Detection and research of multiple physical fields at the lunar surface
Detection and research of the geologic profiles at the landing region
Moon-based observation of Earth's atmospheric energy-balance and of Earth's magnetosphere
Experiment and research on lunar in-situ sample analyses and in-situ resource utilization
Experiment and research employing an enclosed mini-terrestrial-ecosystem on the lunar surface
Mission instruments
Currently, the science payloads on the mission include the following:[1]
Lander
Landing camera
Topography camera
Seismometer
Radiometer (for Earth observation)
Multispectral imager
Soft x-ray telescope
Earth ecosystem in lunar environment experiment
Experiments involving lunar resource utilization (ISRU); may include 3D-printing tests[3]
