China to hear pitches from Nasa scientist and others for Chang’e 5 moon rocks

If Zeigler’s pitch is accepted, it would be a rare example of high-level US-China space cooperation – Nasa-funded scientists have been forbidden to collaborate with China under a US law known as the Wolf Amendment, unless otherwise approved by the Congress.

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Last November, the CNSA began accepting applications from scientists outside China to study the Chang’e 5 samples. Nasa urged its researchers to apply in spite of the Wolf Amendment.

“Applying for samples will ensure that United States researchers have the same research opportunities as scientists around the world,” Nasa said, adding that it had “certified its intention to Congress”.

Other US applicants to appear at the review include planetary scientists Stephen Parman from Brown University, Timothy Glotch from Stony Brook University, Stephen Sutton from the University of Chicago, and Michelle Thompson from Purdue University.

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All of them receive research grants from Nasa, and some chair Nasa-funded projects worth millions of dollars.

Scientists from The Open University in Britain, the University of Cologne, the Paris Institute of Planetary Physics, the Pakistan Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission, and Osaka University in Japan will also make presentations.

The Post has contacted Nasa headquarters in Washington to confirm if applications from China would be considered.

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It is not clear if Nasa could obtain congressional approval to allow exchanges of samples for scientific research purposes.

In last year’s internal email, Nasa indicated that the approval for the Chang’e 5 application was an exceptional case.

“This allowance applies specifically to Chang’e 5 mission samples; the normal prohibition on bilateral activity with [China] on Nasa-funded projects remains in place,” the agency wrote.