Beijing, China – The return capsule from China’s Chang’e 6 mission has been transported to the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) in Beijing and opened to reveal its contents. This marks the successful end of the 53-day-long mission that brought the first lunar far side samples to Earth.
The capsule made a fiery reentry on June 25 before landing in Inner Mongolia. It was then examined at CAST during a ceremony where a sample container holding up to 4.4 pounds of moon material was secured for further analysis and storage. Special facilities have been developed to store, analyze, and distribute the samples for research purposes.
NASA-funded researchers were granted permission late last year to apply for access to lunar samples. The materials from the Chang’e 6 mission will provide valuable insights into the composition of the lunar far side and contribute to ongoing research efforts. After two years, international researchers may also have the opportunity to apply for access to the samples.
During a ceremony held at CAST, scientists and researchers gathered to examine the returned capsule from China’s Chang’e 6 mission. The capsule contained samples collected from the moon’s far side during a 53-day mission that began in April 2021. These samples are expected to provide valuable insights into the moon’s composition and contribute