China shares moon samples collected by Chang’e-5 mission with scientists from different countries .
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) has announced that researchers from six countries — including France, Germany, Japan, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, and the United States — have been given access to moon samples gathered by the Chang’e-5 mission for scientific studies.
During a ceremony marking China’s Space Day in Shanghai, CNSA revealed that seven research institutions from these nations have been approved to utilize the lunar samples.
The selected institutions include France’s Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP), Germany’s University of Cologne, Japan’s Osaka University, Pakistan’s SUPARCO, the UK’s Open University, and two U.S. institutions — Brown University and the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
The Chang’e-5 mission successfully brought back approximately 1,731 grams of lunar material from the moon in 2020.
CNSA Director Shan Zhongde stated that China’s lunar program is guided by the values of equality, mutual benefit, peaceful use, and cooperative development, aiming to share scientific gains with the global community.
He emphasized CNSA’s openness to ongoing international collaboration and encouraged scientists around the world to continue exploring the lunar samples for discoveries that could contribute to human advancement.
In November 2023, CNSA invited international researchers to apply for access to the Chang’e-5 samples. By December, the agency had received 24 applications from 11 different countries and organizations.
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