On September 29, the 76th International Astronautical Congress opened in Sydney. During the opening ceremony, China's Chang'e-6 mission team was awarded the 2025 World Space Award in the team category by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), which is regarded as one of the highest honors in the aerospace field.
The World Space Award is the highest accolade established by the International Astronautical Federation in the aerospace sector, designed to recognize individuals or teams who have made significant contributions to global aerospace science, technology, and engineering management.
The Chang'e-6 probe was launched by the Long March-5 Y8 carrier rocket from China's Wenchang Space Launch Site on May 3, 2024. On June 25, the Chang'e-6 return capsule successfully returned to Earth carrying 1,935.3 grams of lunar far side samples, accomplishing humanity's first-ever lunar far side sampling mission.