China Will Share Recovered Moon Samples With Other Countries For Analysis

Following the return of China¡¯s Chang'e 5 probe to Earth with samples from the moon, the country¡¯s space agency has now announced that it will share the samples with other space agencies for furthering research in future lunar missions.

(Image: Reuters)

The Chang'e 5 probe, named after the mythical Chinese goddess of the Moon, landed in the northern region of Inner Mongolia in the early hours of Thursday. The probe managed to bring back the first lunar rocks and soil retrieved by any country since the 1970s. In doing so, it made China only the third country ever to obtain the lunar samples.

Following this, Wu Yanhua - deputy head of the China National Space Administration, country¡¯s space agency, ascertained that the country will be sharing the samples as well as data obtained from them with others.

"In accordance with international cooperation conventions and multilateral and bilateral cooperation pacts, we will issue rules on managing the Moon samples and data," said Wu Yanhua, as cited in a recent report by Reuters. "We will share with the relevant countries and scientists overseas, and some of them may be given as national gifts in accordance with international practices," he added

Not with the US?

China's Chang¡¯e 5 Probe (Image: CGTN)

When Yanhua was asked whether China would share any samples with the United States, he cited the existing US restrictions, deeming them "unfortunate". The US currently restricts its own space agency NASA from directly cooperating with China.

"The Chinese government is willing to share lunar samples with like-minded institutions and scientists from various countries," Wu said. "To be able to cooperate or not depends on US policy."

He, however, ascertained that China was willing to cooperate with US agencies and scientists on the basis of equal benefit and win-win cooperation.

China has not yet disclosed the amount of lunar samples retrieved by the Chang'e 5. The original plan was to collect 2 kg (4.41 lb) of rocks and soil but it is not clear as to how much of it has been achieved.

"We will announce this soon," Hu Hao, chief designer of the third phase of China's lunar exploration programme, told Reuters. "We have not taken them out (of the probe) yet."