China kicks off lunar sample study programs

BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday delivered about 17 grams of lunar samples brought back by the Chang'e-5 probe to 13 institutions, which had applied for research programs to the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center of the China National Space Administration.

Speaking at a ceremony to mark the delivery, Liu Jizhong, the director of the center, said that this is the first batch of lunar samples delivered to research institutions. More samples will be released and delivered in the future as planned.

He said he hopes that more and more research institutions will take part in the lunar sample study in the future.

The Chang'e-5 probe, comprising an orbiter, a lander, an ascender, and a returner, was launched on Nov. 24, 2020. The return capsule landed in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Dec. 17, retrieving about 1,731 grams of moon samples.