Overview

• China's Chang’e 5 mission returned lunar samples to Earth in 2020, the first such mission since the Soviet Luna program in 1976.
• In May 2025, China distributed 60 milligrams of Moon dust to seven international research teams, including one led by Prof Mahesh Anand in the UK.
• The samples, collected from Mons Rümker, are chemically distinct from Apollo-era Moon rocks and offer insights into the Moon's geological history.
• The UK team has begun advanced analyses, including heating grains to release trapped gases and using lasers to study oxygen content.
• This unprecedented sharing of lunar material highlights China's growing leadership in space exploration and its willingness to foster global scientific cooperation.