China's Chang'e-6 Lunar Far Side Sample Return Mission Wins International Award
China's Chang'e-6 mission was presented the 2025 IAF World Space Award in the Team category in Sydney, Australia on Monday, September 29, 2025. This highest honor from the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) acknowledges the mission's groundbreaking feat of bringing back samples from the Moon's far side. The mission captured the world's attention and secured wide acclaim due to its critical contributions. CGTN's reporter Chen Yilin spoke with the mission's chief designer and international experts to uncover the details.
In 2024, Chang'e-6 made history by bringing 1,935.3 grams of lunar far-side samples back to Earth. These samples were collected from the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin, the largest, deepest, and oldest basin on the Moon. It provided a rare opportunity to clarify the compositional differences between the near and far sides and to unravel the long-standing mystery of their asymmetry.
The Chang'e-6 probe was launched from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province on May 3, 2024. It touched down on the far side of the Moon on June 2. During its two-day stay, Chang'e-6 used a scoop and drill, collecting nearly 2 kilograms of lunar material. On June 25, 2024, its returner brought back the samples and made a landing in north China.
Duration: 3 minutes
Release Date: Sept. 30, 2025
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