Egypt and Bahrain Collaborate with China to Build Hyperspectral Camera for the Chang’e-7 Mission

Key Highlights

• Bahrain and Egypt to jointly develop a hyperspectral camera  for the Chang’e-7 mission

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the Egyptian Space Agency (EgSA), Bahrain’s National Space Science Agency, and the Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics, and Physics signed a cooperation agreement to jointly develop a hyperspectral camera as part of the goal of developing and delivering scientific instruments for the Chang’e-7 mission.

According to the China National Space Administration (CNSA), the hyperspectral camera, developed by Egypt and Bahrain, will image and analyse lunar surface materials from orbit, including the Moon’s polar regions. In addition, the camera, which is one of the six international payloads chosen by the CNSA for the Chang’e-7 lunar mission, can provide high-quality hyperspectral data for diverse fields, such as environmental monitoring, natural resource surveys, and climate change studies.

Furthermore, Italy, Russia, Switzerland, Thailand, and the International Lunar Observatory Association, a Hawaii-based non-governmental organisation, will provide the remaining five payloads. In May 2024, the success of the joint Bahraini-Egyptian venture in a global competition hosted by the Chinese Space Agency allowed them to secure a spot aboard the Chang’e-7 lunar exploration mission slated for 2026. The mission entails developing, testing, and deploying a multispectral camera to analyse lunar surface materials, which will probe the lunar south pole’s soil composition, including ice water. 

The hyperspectral camera will enable detailed imaging and analysis of the Moon’s surface, particularly the polar regions. This could lead to significant discoveries about lunar geology, including the composition and distribution of water ice, which is crucial for future lunar exploration and potential colonisation. The data collected will contribute to a better understanding of lunar surface materials and their variations, potentially revealing new insights into the Moon’s history and formation.