The Chinese government has achieved a groundbreaking milestone by retrieving rocks and soil from the far side of the moon—territory no humans have ever previously encountered. The successful return of the Chang’e-6 lunar mission on June 25, 2024, marks a historic scientific achievement, reinforcing China’s position as a leading space power, rivaling the United States.
In a move reminiscent of NASA’s actions post-Apollo missions, China’s space agency is extending an invitation to scientists worldwide to study these unique samples. Liu Yunfeng, Director of the International Cooperation Office of the China National Space Administration (CNSA), announced during a news conference in Beijing that China welcomes global scientists to apply for access to the samples, thereby sharing the benefits of this mission.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson expressed his approval of CNSA’s intent to share the collected materials. The Chang’e-6 mission successfully gathered approximately 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms) of lunar dust and rocks from an ancient crater on the moon’s far side using a drill and a mechanical arm. Nelson highlighted the importance of making these samples available to the international community, akin to the collaborative spirit demonstrated by NASA during the Apollo era.
However, US access to these samples might be complicated by the 2011 Wolf Amendment. This law restricts NASA from using government funds for bilateral cooperation with China without authorization from Congress or the FBI, effectively hindering routine collaboration between the two space agencies.
Bian Zhigang, Vice Chair of CNSA, pointed out that US domestic laws, particularly the Wolf Amendment, pose significant obstacles to China-US space cooperation. He suggested that if the US genuinely seeks normal space exchanges with China, it should take tangible steps to remove these barriers.
Historically, during the Cold War, NASA shared lunar samples from the moon’s near side with the Soviet Union and other countries, including China. However, it has taken decades to procure samples from the moon’s far side. China’s Chang’e-4 mission first accomplished a soft landing on the moon’s far side in 2019, followed by the Chang’e-5 mission in 2020, which returned samples from the near side.
China’s recent success with robotic lunar missions stands in contrast to NASA’s efforts. Despite the advancements, NASA is still leading in the development of spacecraft capable of carrying humans to the moon. The Artemis I mission successfully sent the uncrewed Orion spacecraft around the moon in 2022, setting the stage for Artemis II, which aims to send four astronauts on a similar trajectory by September 2025. In contrast, China has yet to fly a human-rated spacecraft around the moon.
NASA has partnered with SpaceX to develop the lunar lander for the Artemis III mission. This vehicle, dubbed Starship, completed its fourth test flight in June but still requires several test flights and technology demonstrations before it can carry people. Meanwhile, China’s focus on robotic lunar exploration continues to yield significant results. The US, through its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, has seen mixed success with lunar landers built by private companies. Intuitive Machines’ IM-1 lander became the first US-made spacecraft to soft-land on the moon in over five decades, while Astrobotic Technologies’ Peregrine lander faced a setback due to a fuel leak.
As China aims to land astronauts on the moon before 2030 and the US targets the latter part of 2026 for a similar feat, the global race to establish a permanent human presence on the moon intensifies. The collaborative efforts in sharing lunar samples could pave the way for further international cooperation in space exploration, despite existing legal and political challenges. As Nelson aptly put it, while robotic landings are challenging, human spaceflight is exponentially more difficult—a reality both nations continue to grapple with as they push the boundaries of lunar exploration.