Two research institutes from east China’s Jiangsu province, the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, were among the 13 institutions nationwide that were granted on July 12 lunar samples brought back to the earth by the Chang'e-5 probe last year.
China on July 12 delivered about 17 grams of lunar samples brought back by the Chang'e-5 probe to 13 institutions, which had applied for research programs to the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center of the China National Space Administration or CNSA.
After evaluation, 31 applications from 13 research institutions have been granted approval to study the first batch of lunar samples, Pei said, adding that the next round of application evaluation has been scheduled for September this year.
The approved study applications cover fields such as lunar surface process, volcanic activity age, lunar evolution process, and mineral and volatile composition.
