According to the Reuters agency, NASA representatives are in talks with their Chinese counterparts about the conditions for obtaining soil samples from the far side of the Moon. We will recall that in July 2024, the Chinese probe Chang'e-6 returned to Earth for the first time samples collected from the opposite side of the satellite.
Strained relations between China and the US have prevented the direct request and transfer of soil to scientists from another country, but hope remains. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced the talks to Reuters. A month ago, Nelson spoke to Congress on this issue, where he stated that negotiations and obtaining samples from the Chinese side would not endanger US national interests.
The so-called Wolff Amendment prohibits American scientists and institutions from cooperating with China without special authorization from the FBI. NASA's administrator expects the FBI to license the agency to receive lunar soil samples from China. He highly appreciates the probability that American scientists will get a unique lunar soil. It is not yet known what the Chinese will ask for in return. Some US officials fear that increased cooperation between NASA and its Chinese partners will ease pressure on China.
According to Nelson, four American institutes have already applied to receive samples from the far side of the moon. After all, it is unlikely that China will ban the study of the unique samples by American scientists, because the Chinese have already agreed to provide samples to European institutions, which will receive them without problems, for which there is already a corresponding written agreement.