Industry

China delays Chang\'e 7 launch, opening chance for U.S. in moon south pole race

China has shelved plans to launch its Chang\'e 7 lunar south pole mission this year, failing to meet the planned launch window, it said in a brief notice. Beijing did not give a reason. Weather linked to Typhoon Nari is cited as a likely factor, though technical issues are not ruled out. The delay comes as China and the United States race to secure a foothold near the moon’s south pole, including the Shackleton crater area.

AI & Enterprise

Google\'s WeatherNext changes hurricane forecasting with 80 percent call five days ahead

Google DeepMind and Google Research’s AI weather model WeatherNext predicted hurricane tracks and intensity more accurately than existing forecasting models, researchers said. The team said it typically provides about one extra day of usable lead time, with three-day forecasts matching the accuracy of other models’ two-day outlooks. A Nature paper detailed the results, including a 2025 Hurricane Melissa case in the Caribbean. Experts said AI supports, but does not replace, forecasters.