China’s Chang’e-6 Brings Back Nearly Two Kilograms of Moon Samples for Research

China’s Chang’e-6 mission has successfully returned from the far side of the Moon, bringing back almost two kilograms of lunar samples for scientific study. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced this achievement on Friday, highlighting its importance for understanding the Moon’s evolution.

According to the CNSA, the Chang’e-6 mission collected 1,935.3 grams of lunar material. Ge Ping, Deputy Director of the CNSA’s Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Centre and spokesperson for the mission, noted that these samples are more viscous and contain clumps, which are new observable characteristics compared to previous samples.

Researchers will now begin storing and processing these lunar samples as planned, and will start scientific research soon.

The samples, collected from the Moon’s far side for the first time in history, are expected to provide unique scientific insights. They will help improve our understanding of the Moon’s evolution, speed up the peaceful exploration and use of lunar resources, and serve as a valuable asset for humanity, according to the CNSA.

The CNSA plans to organize scientific research on these samples and share China’s lunar exploration achievements with the global community. Based on the lunar sample management rules and past experience with the Chang’e-5 mission, applications for studying the Chang’e-6 samples will open to domestic research institutions and scientists in about six months. Ge also mentioned that international scientists are welcome to apply under the relevant procedures.

Previous research on samples from the Chang’e-5 mission has led to significant scientific discoveries in areas like lunar formation, space weathering, and resource utilization, the CNSA stated.

The Chang’e-6 probe was launched on May 3, and its returner, carrying the lunar samples, landed successfully in Siziwang Banner, Inner Mongolia, on June 25. The returner was then transported to Beijing, where researchers opened it and retrieved the lunar sample container on Wednesday, according to the CNSA.