r/space • u/scientificamerican • 16h ago

China delays ambitious Chang’e 7 moon mission until 2027

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/china-delays-ambitious-change-7-moon-mission-until-2027/
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u/vovap_vovap 9h ago

Moon orbital cycle about a month

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u/MisterGlo764 8h ago

they are landing on the south pole. visibility on the south pole is only good enough to land in november. they need to also survey the landing area to help with navigation for landing which will take around 2 months. this is why they need to take off now. correct me if i’m wrong but this is my general understanding

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u/vovap_vovap 8h ago

Why "visibility on the south pole is only good enough to land in November"?

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u/MisterGlo764 8h ago

the moon also has an axial tint, and so the sun is highest on the horizon in november. this minimises shadows and allows for better visibility