BEIJING, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Research on the lunar samples collected by the Chang'e-6 mission is still underway, according to Li Chunlai, a researcher with the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and deputy chief designer of the Chang'e-6 mission.

A research paper published in September on the lunar samples brought back by the Chang'e-6 mission says that the Chang'e-6 samples exhibit "distinct characteristics" compared to previously obtained lunar samples.

A researcher shows a lunar sample retrieved by the Chang'e-6 mission at the lunar sample laboratory in the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 24, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Li Chunlai, a researcher with the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and deputy chief designer of the Chang'e-6 mission, observes a lunar sample retrieved by the Chang'e-6 mission at the lunar sample laboratory in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 24, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Li Chunlai, a researcher with the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and deputy chief designer of the Chang'e-6 mission, deals with lunar samples retrieved by the Chang'e-6 mission at the lunar sample laboratory in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 24, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Li Chunlai, a researcher with the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and deputy chief designer of the Chang'e-6 mission, poses for a photo at the lunar sample laboratory in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 24, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

The Chang'e-6 probe was launched from China on May 3, 2024. On June 25, its returner made a landing in north China, bringing back 1,935.3 grams of samples from the far side of the moon.

This photo shows lunar samples retrieved by the Chang'e-6 mission at the lunar sample laboratory in the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 24, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

This photo shows lunar samples retrieved by the Chang'e-6 mission at the lunar sample laboratory in the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 24, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)