China published its Regulations on the Management of Lunar Samples on Monday morning, aiming to improve scientific research and international cooperation.

Developed by the China National Space Administration, the document has nine chapters and 37 clauses, governing the storage, management and use of lunar samples brought back by the country's Chang'e 5 mission.

According to the regulations, the samples will be divided into four categories - permanent storage, backup storage, research, and public-interest purposes.

In terms of international cooperation, the document stipulates that the samples' distribution will be in accordance with international treaties China has signed or taken part in. Meanwhile, the China National Space Administration has encouraged researchers at home and abroad to use the samples in joint studies on space science and to share their findings with each other.

The regulations were published by the administration at an open house for a small group of foreign diplomats to China and representatives from some international organizations to the Chinese Academy of Sciences' National Astronomical Observatories in northern Beijing. The activity was hosted by the administration and the academy.

The most significant event in China's space field, and also one of the world's most notable space activities, in 2020 - the Chang'e 5 robotic mission - was launched on Nov 24 at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in South China's Hainan province and successfully landed on the moon on Dec 1, becoming the world's third spacecraft to touch down on the lunar surface since the mid-1970s after its predecessors - Chang'e 3 and 4.

The landmark mission returned 1,731 grams of lunar rocks and soil back to Earth on Dec 17, achieving a historic accomplishment about 44 years after the last lunar substances were brought back from our nearest celestial neighbor.

The 23-day mission was China's first space journey that has retrieved extraterrestrial samples, also making China the third country to harvest this feat, after the United States and the former Soviet Union.

The samples were delivered from the space administration to the National Astronomical Observatories in late December.

Source: Xinhua News Agency

Related Links
Lunar Exploration and Space Program
Mars News and Information at MarsDaily.com
Lunar Dreams and more

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Lockheed Martin-Built Orion spacecraft is ready for its Moon mission
Denver CO (SPX) Jan 15, 2021
NASA's Orion spacecraft is ready for its mission to the Moon. Lockheed Martin has completed assembly and testing of the Orion Artemis I spacecraft and has transferred possession to NASA's Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) team. Assembled at Kennedy Space Center, the EGS team will then perform final preparations on the spacecraft for its mission to the Moon later this year. Orion is NASA's new human-rated exploration-class spaceship that will take astronauts into deep space including the Moon and Ma ... read more