NASA And China Negotiate About Moon Rock Samples From Chang'e-6, Opening Space Diplomacy Roads

Chinese spacecraft Chang e-6 (photo: x @ChineseEmbinUS)

NASA and CHINA officials are in talks to allow American scientists to analyze rock samples taken from the far side of the moon by the Chang'e-6 mission. This was revealed by the Head of the US Space Agency, Bill Nelson. This step shows Washington's efforts to improve communication with Beijing on space-related issues.

China, last June, became the first country to successfully collect rock samples from a always dark lunar surface. This is an achievement that highlights the country's advances in space capabilities. This sample has been offered to world scientists for study, despite legal constraints in the US limiting space cooperation between NASA and China.

"We are making more clear with China regarding the terms of this month's stone loan agreement," Nelson said at the International Astronautical Congress event in Milan. He also added that the talks are expected to end positively with China willing to provide access to the sample.

The discussion on access to rock samples this month is one of the few ongoing interactions between the US and China on space issues. The two countries, which compete in the military and the economy, are now also competing to become the largest space power in the world.

Space diplomacy between the two countries is trying to avoid miscalculation in future space operations, although scientific cooperation between the US and China has often come under criticism from US politicians who focus on military rivalry.

However, these talks provide new hope that space collaboration could lead to a more sustainable and secure space program.