Coronavirus Information
Until further notice, the University of Arizona, in accordance with the guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourages all employees to work remotely. Our offices in the Kuiper, Sonett, and Drake Buildings are closed to the public, but you can reach the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, Monday–Friday 8am-5pm, at 520-621-6963.
Explore Planetary and
Solar Systems Science at LPL
Welcome to the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory
How the UA Guided Men to the Moon
The maps and images created by a small UA team at the start of the space race opened the door for lunar and planetary exploration 50 years ago.
Moon Maps, Lunar Origins and Everything Between
A theory for the origin of the moon germinated in the mind of a UA graduate student as he mapped the surface. The theory is still cited today as scientists continue to learn more about our celestial neighbor.
UArizona Cameras Capture Asteroid Close-Up During OSIRIS-REx Rehearsal
The spacecraft of the UArizona-led OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission executed a series of maneuvers that brought it within a mere 200 feet of its designated sampling location on the surface of Bennu.
Research Focus Areas
Pursuing interdisciplinary research spanning the breadth and depth of planetary science.
Astrobiology
Astrobiology
Astrobiology is a vibrant field that focuses on the study of the origins, distribution and evolution of life in the...
Solar & Heliospheric
Solar & Heliospheric
LPL's Solar and Heliospheric Research Group studies the Sun’s atmosphere and magnetic field as it moves outward at supersonic speeds throughout the solar system until it encounters the local interstellar medium.
Cosmochemistry
Cosmochemistry
Planetary Materials are those pieces of condensed matter that were leftover from the time that our solar system formed over...
Orbital Dynamics
Orbital Dynamics
Kepler's laws of planetary motion turn out to be far from the last word on planetary orbits. Orbits change over...
Spacecraft Missions and Instrumentation
Exploring the Universe as investigators on spacecraft mission and instrumentation teams.
OSIRIS-REx
OSIRIS-REx
LPL is home to the OSIRIS-REx mission. OSIRIS-Rex arrived at asteroid Bennu in 2018; it has begun to survey and map Bennu, navigating in close proximity to the asteroid, and will ultimately touch the surface for five seconds to gather a sample of the asteroid.
HiRISE (MRO)
HiRISE (MRO)
HiRISE, the high resolution imaging science experiment onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, is the most powerful camera ever sent to another planet.
MMX
MMX
The Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission is in development by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. MMX will visit the two Martian moons, Phobos and Deimos, land on the surface of Phobos, and collect a surface sample.
Parker Solar Probe
Parker Solar Probe
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe will be the first-ever mission to "touch" the Sun.
Discover Planetary Sciences
Earn a Ph.D. with a major in Planetary Sciences.
Graduate Program
The Department of Planetary Sciences offers multidisciplinary programs leading to the Doctor of Philosophy degree with a major in planetary sciences.
Undergraduate Program
The Department of Planetary Sciences offers an undergraduate minor in Planetary Sciences.
Astrobiology Minor
Astrobiology is an interdisciplinary field that combines astronomy, geology, biology and chemistry.
Public Education and Outreach
Faculty, staff, and students engage with diverse communities.
OSIRIS-REx
The OSIRIS-REx mission is an Asteroid Sample Return Mission— Exploring our Past, Securing our Future through Pioneering Asteroid Science....
LPL Evening Lecture Series
Each fall semester, the LPL Evening Lecture Series presents LPL scientists discussing their latest scientific research and space mission...
The Art of Planetary Science (TAPS)
The Art of Planetary Science is an annual art exhibition run by UA's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory that celebrates the beauty and elegance of science.