Global Times reports on Sept. 17 that a “joint research team consisting of several Chinese institutions on Tuesday published the very first research paper on the nature of lunar samples returned by the Chang’e-6 mission in the journal National Science Review.” The research team included the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the National Space Administration Lunar Exploration and Aerospace Engineering Center. The report discussed the physical, mineralogical, and geochemical characteristics of the returned samples.
Global Times notes: “Historically, a total of over 380 kilograms of lunar samples have been retrieved through six U.S. Apollo missions, three Luna missions by the former Soviet Union and one Chang’e-5 mission by China, all of which were collected from the Moon’s near side. The Chang’e-6 mission, however, marks the first time humanity has ever successfully collected samples from the Moon’s far side, returning 1,935.3 grams of precious material.”
Global Times also reports:
