China's Chang'e-6 mission wins award at International Astronautical Congress

Representatives from the global space sector gathered at a major industry event in Sydney this week, where Chinese astronautical achievements were recognized with the IAF World Space Award.

The 76th International Astronautical Congress began on Monday, drawing more than 7,000 delegates from around 90 countries to the five-day event set to cover "all elements of space and highlight the latest developments in academia and industry, as well as networking opportunities and potential partnerships", according to its co-host, the Australian Space Agency.

The International Astronautical Federation, which organized the congress, awarded China's Chang'E-6 mission the 2025 team category award, recognizing it as "the world's first lunar sampling return from the far-side of the Moon", marking "a historical milestone in human lunar exploration".

China pays close attention to tackling climate change with space technologies and is willing to provide its best efforts to build a resilient Earth with international partners, Xinhua News Agency quoted Bian Zhigang, deputy head of the China National Space Administration, as saying at a plenary session of the event.

Tianwen-1 Spacecraft Development Team, the 2022 award recipient, organizers said, "Tianwen-1 Mission achieved orbiting, landing, and roving on Mars in one mission for the first time globally." The Chang'e 4 Mission Leaders were honored with an award in 2020.

Jeff Bezos, founder of Blue Origin of the United States, was named the 2025 award recipient for individuals, recognized for his vision "to build a road to space for the benefit of Earth", organizers said. Elon Musk, founder and CEO of SpaceX, received the 2023 award for individuals.

Organizers said the event aims to "unite the sector with the end-users of space across a range of other industries — from agriculture to resources. They will access the latest advancements and trends, academic works, industry connections and partnership opportunities".

The launch of the event also highlighted the strengthening of global collaborations, reaffirming commitments to peaceful lunar exploration and interoperability, according to the Australian Space Agency.