China Distributes 125.42 Grams of Lunar Samples for Global Scientific Research
China has distributed 125.42 grams of lunar samples for scientific research, including 2.18 grams of Chang'e-5 specimens shared with seven institutions from six countries, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced.
To date, domestic and international scientists have produced over 150 published research findings utilizing samples from the Chang'e-5 (near side) and Chang'e-6 (far side/south pole) lunar missions.
The lunar sample allocation follows a rigorous two-stage approval process combining online applications with expert peer review. Qualified research institutions may access the dedicated online platform to review sample catalogs and submit formal research proposals.
"This page displays all the available samples for application as well as those currently on loan. Look here—it shows 'lent' status, which means this sample has been borrowed," said Hou Jun, deputy director of Science and Technology Engineering Department of the China Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Center of the CNSA.
Currently, lunar sample applications are accepted twice yearly, with each submission window open for approximately one month. Following submission, an expert committee conducts a thorough review before final approval and issuance by the CNSA. The entire process—from application to sample distribution—typically takes about five months.
"Applications for one or two grams are exceptionally rare; most allocated samples are measured in milligrams. We centrally manage these samples and perform customized processing in our laboratory based on researchers' specific requirements," said Yang Wei, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Geology and Geophysics.
China's Chang'e-6 mission collected 1,935.3 grams of samples from the far side of the Moon—the first in human history. Meanwhile, the Chang'e-5 mission retrieved about 1,731 grams of lunar samples.
In July 2021, China delivered the first batch of lunar samples to research institutions. So far, the country has lent nine batches of lunar samples to institutions for research purposes.
The Chang'e-5 mission made China the third country to return samples from the Moon after the United States and the Soviet Union.
The Chang'e-5 lander/ascender arrived on the Moon December 1, 2020. The Chang'e 5 landing site is at 43.1°N (in latitude), 51.8°W (in longitude) in the Northern Oceanus Procellarum near a huge volcanic complex, Mons Rümker, located in the northwest lunar near side. The area is mapped as 'Eratosthenian Mare' by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The Chang'e 5 landing site, named Statio Tianchuan, is within the Procellarum KREEP Terrain, with elevated heat-producing elements, thin crust, and prolonged volcanism. This area is characterized by examples of the youngest mare basalts on the Moon (~1.21 billion years old) with elevated titanium, thorium, and olivine abundances. These were never sampled by the U.S. Apollo or Soviet Luna programs.
Duration: 1 minute, 17 seconds
Release Date: Aug. 10, 2025
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