Earlier this summer, a significant new chapter for lunar science opened! Prof. Mahesh Anand from the Open University (OU) has been selected to receive samples returned by China’s Chang’e-5 mission. This new allocation is a monumental first step. Notably, for the first time, international principal investigators will be awarded lunar samples returned by a Chinese space exploration mission.
In November 2020, the most recent Chang’e-5 mission blasted off into the cosmos. It accomplished one more incredible feat, returning Moon samples to Earth this past December 2020. The mission’s first landing was on a location on the lunar nearside called Oceanus Procellarum. According to Dr. James Carpenter, head of the lunar science office at the European Space Agency, the samples collected during this mission will provide irreplaceable knowledge. Together, these findings will help answer the fundamental question of how our solar system came to be.
Prof. Anand, who has spent more than 20 years researching the Moon, is heading a team at OU’s laboratories in Milton Keynes. His research has recently turned towards discovering more of the Moon’s hidden secrets, especially why and how water exists on the lunar surface. The materials he will receive from Chang’e-5 will contribute to evaluating the giant-impact theory regarding the Moon’s origin and will enhance understanding of volatiles such as carbon and nitrogen within the Earth-Moon system.
“This is a recognition of our world-leading lunar sample research, underpinned by long-term funding from the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC/UKRI) and the OU’s commitment towards maintaining world-class analytical laboratories,” Prof. Anand stated.
The European Space Agency emphasized the importance of the Chang’e-5 samples, describing them as a unique window into the solar system’s history. The agency’s support highlights the spirit of collaboration and cooperation that lies at the heart of international space exploration.
According to the joint press release from CNSA, a spokesperson for the Chinese National Space Agency (CNSA) welcomed this cooperation. They named the arrangements “win-win cooperation,” intended to underscore the significant advantages of collaborative scientific endeavors.
