China has abruptly delayed its Chang'e-7 lunar mission, which had been expected to launch within days from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on Hainan island. The China Manned Space Agency announced the postponement on Sunday, stating only that the mission failed to meet launch conditions and could not proceed within its planned window this year, citing principles of "prudence, reliability and absolute mission success" without offering further detail. The mission, part of the long-running Chang'e moon exploration programme, had been designed to survey the lunar south pole, investigate permanently shadowed craters, and search for water ice — findings that could have significant implications for future human presence on the moon.