China abruptly postpones ambitious Chang’e-7 lunar mission launch

Takeoff of the mission had been expected to occur as soon as Sunday evening, or Monday morning Beijing time.

The Chang’e-7 – carrying an orbiter, a lander, a rover and a hopper – was set to lift off aboard a Long March 5 rocket from the Wenchang spaceport in southern China as early as Monday.

The mission does not meet the launch conditions, said the China Manned Space Agency in a brief statement, and "cannot take place during the planned window this year."