Chang'e-6 lunar samples to be open for global application

The first batch of lunar samples from the far side of the moon, collected by China's Chang'e-6 mission, is expected to be distributed to domestic scientists by the end of 2024, with availability for international researchers to follow. These samples are anticipated to further deepen mankind's understanding of the moon.

The CCTV news reported on Tuesday that the Chang'e-6 lunar scientific research samples will be distributed by means through an open application system. Researchers can access information and apply for the samples through the Lunar and Deep Space Exploration Scientific Data and Sample Release System on China's Lunar and Deep Space Exploration website.

Scientists around the world are keenly interested in this only batch of lunar samples, which are expected to update mankind's understanding of the Moon, Li Chunlai, deputy chief designer of the mission told the CCTV news.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told the Global Times in July that China published the Announcement of Opportunities for the Chang'e-6 Mission, which was available to the entire world. We also welcome countries around the world to take part in the study of lunar samples, Mao added.

The remarks made after NASA has once again resorted to its "sour grapes" rhetoric upon seeing China's successful retrieval of fresh lunar soils from the far side of the moon, by claiming that China did not directly invite its scientists to participate in the lunar soil research.

Li noted that the Chang'e-6 mission team has completed the unsealing, partitioning, processing, preparation, and preliminary analysis of the samples.

During the process of assembling the samples, the team observed that the lunar samples brought back by Chang'e-6 had more spalls than those from Chang'e-5. After preliminary analysis, scientists believe this is likely due to the fact that Chang'e-6's sampling point is located on the edge of an impact crater, which bears some relation to the spatter generated by the collision, Liu Jianjun, deputy chief commander of the ground application system of the mission, told the CCTV news.

The samples also contain a greater variety of minerals than those collected from the Chang'e-5 lunar samples, and they are of a finer texture, Liu added.

Considering that the lunar samples are very valuable, to ensure the safety of them, the security measures for the storage room are comparable to those of a vault, and the entire outer layer of the room is covered with steel plate structure, said Zhou Qin, a deputy chief designer of the ground application system of the mission.

The storage facility is a high-level clean room, where all air flowing into is purified by a filter cartridge. The room also meets high environmental requirements, maintaining a constant temperature and humidity environment, Zhou mentioned.

Chang'e-6 - China's latest leap of moon exploration - has claimed full success, as the returning capsule of the craft, carrying the first batch of lunar samples collected from the far side of the moon in human history, safely touched down in designated landing site in the Siziwang Banner, in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on June 25, and the returner of the Chang'e-6 lunar probe was opened at a ceremony in Beijing on the following day, with key technical indicators examined, the Xinhua News Agency reported.