The International Astronautical Federation (IAF) has announced that China's Chang'e-6 mission team has been honored with the 2025 IAF World Space Award (Team category), extending congratulations to the Chinese researchers who made outstanding contributions to lunar exploration.
China launched the Chang'e-6 spacecraft on May 3, 2024 to collect and return samples from the moon's mysterious far side.
After completing all tasks, the returner of the Chang'e-6 probe touched down on Earth on June 25, 2024, bringing back the world's first-ever samples collected from the moon's far side, which weighed 1,935.3 grams.
IAF Executive Director Christian Feichtinger commended China's achievements in space exploration, eying the opportunities China has offered to promote international cooperation in this area.
"It is my great pleasure to announce that the IAF has decided to give, present our most prestigious award, the IAF World Space Award, to the Chang'e-6 mission and this award will be presented at our next edition of International Astronautics Congress in Sydney later this year. So, congratulations to China," said Feichtinger.
"Chang'e-6 mission has raised international enthusiasm by bringing back samples from the far side of the moon and we had the pleasure to see the samples also at our latest edition in Milan of the International Astronautical Congress," he said.
"The achievements of China in space is just stunning and worldwide recognized. To see how open China is we have just today heard the selection for the Chang'e-8 international participants in this mission, the announcement of the Tianwen-3, announcement of opportunity, and all the great opportunities which China is offering also to international community. I think this is a very good mode. If we want to achieve great things that we need to do this together, and I think this is really a recipe which China is pursuing very consequently," said the executive director.
This year's IAF World Space Award will be presented during the opening ceremony of the 76th International Astronautical Congress, which is set to take place from September 29 to October 3 in Sydney, Australia.
China's Chang'e-8 lunar probe is scheduled for launch around 2029, and will carry payloads from 11 countries and regions and one international organization as part of international cooperation, according to the China National Space Administration.
Tianwen-3, China's first Mars sample-return mission, is scheduled for launch around 2028, with the goal of returning no less than 500 grams of Martian samples to Earth by around 2031.
Chang'e-6 mission team wins IAF World Space Award
Chang'e-6 mission team wins IAF World Space Award
