China's next lunar mission, the Chang'e 7, set to depart soon

The Chang'e 7, China's next robotic mission to the moon — tasked with searching for a trace of water on the silver celestial body — has been scheduled to set out on its journey soon, the China Manned Space Agency announced on Wednesday.

A Long March 5 carrier rocket, with the Chang'e 7 probe on top of it, was moved to its launch service tower at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan province on Wednesday morning, the agency said in a news release, noting that the flight will take place in due course in the coming days.

The Chang'e 7 was transported by air to the coastal spaceport in April, while the Long March 5 rocket arrived in July by ship. They were assembled and tested at the spaceport.