China donates Chang'e 6 lunar samples to UN to advance global space science

China has presented lunar samples retrieved by its Chang'e 6 mission from the far side of the moon to the United Nations, marking a landmark contribution to global space science and the peaceful exploration of outer space, according to the China National Space Administration.

Shan Zhongde, administrator of the CNSA, signed the donation agreement with the UN at a ceremony in Vienna on Monday. He described the samples, which traveled 380,000 kilometers from the moon, as a concrete gesture of China's commitment to advancing humanity's shared space endeavors. Senior UN officials hailed the donation as a testament to China's global responsibility.

The plan to donate the lunar samples was first announced by Premier Li Qiang during the General Debate of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly in September last year.

In his address on Monday, Shan said the donation aims to advance the peaceful exploration of outer space for all humanity and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind.

The CNSA stands ready to work with all parties to foster fairer, more reasonable and more effective rules for outer-space governance and advance the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, he said.

Shan added that China has deepened pragmatic space cooperation with more than 50 countries and international organizations through joint satellite development, payload hosting, data sharing, personnel training and outer-space governance initiatives.

Going forward, China will continue to promote international space cooperation in areas including joint satellite development, space data sharing and outer-space governance, Shan said. It will also drive innovation in space science, technology and applications, deliver more public goods and services for the benefit of all, and build a new landscape of global space cooperation characterized by equality, mutual benefit and win-win results, so that advances in space exploration can better serve people worldwide.

Monica Juma, director-general of the United Nations Office at Vienna, said China's recent space achievements have drawn worldwide attention. China has always firmly supported the central role of the UN, she noted, adding that the lunar sample donation demonstrates China's responsibility and commitment as a major country at a time when the UN faces both internal and external challenges.

China has conducted six robotic missions to explore the moon to date. The most recent, the 53-day Chang'e 6 mission, took place in the summer of 2024 and marked the world's first attempt to bring back samples from the far side of the moon.

The historic mission successfully retrieved a total of 1,935.3 grams of samples from the far side.