China’s steady persistent efforts have allowed it to build a firm foundation from which to compete with the United States, writes Dean Cheng. Credit: Adobe Stock

In December, China successfully conducted its first lunar sample retrieval mission. Chang’e-5 landed on the moon, deployed a rover who then dug up various pieces of the lunar surface, then returned to Earth with about 5 pounds of material. This marked the first return of moon rocks in over 40 years.

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