Explore Planetary and
Solar Systems Science at LPL
Welcome to the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory
Ion Beams and Atom Smashers: Secrets of Moon Rocks
Moon samples collected by the Apollo astronauts a half-century ago hold answers to questions that weren't even on scientists' minds at the time, as new technological tools provide insight into some of the oldest mysteries about the moon, the earth and the solar system.
UA Study Suggests Possibility of Recent Underground Volcanism on Mars
A new study conducted by UA planetary scientists suggests volcanoes may have been recently boiling deep below the surface of the Red Planet, which could explain the potential presence of liquid water underneath the polar ice caps.
Ashes of a Dying Star Hold Clues about Solar System's Birth
A dust grain forged in a stellar explosion predating our solar system reveals new insights about how stars end their lives and seed the universe with the building blocks of new stars and planets.
Research Focus Areas
Pursuing interdisciplinary research spanning the breadth and depth of planetary science.
Lunar Studies
Lunar Studies
Lunar research was one of the hallmarks of the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory in its first decade (the 1960s) as...
Planetary Astronomy
Planetary Astronomy
The planets of the solar system, along with their satellite systems, are our only accessible example of the end state...
Earth
Earth
Collecting information about Earth from space provides new information about how Earth systems work, how they are changing, and how humans might anticipate and respond to changes.
Planetary Surfaces
Planetary Surfaces
Planetary surfaces are influenced by their interior processes (e.g. volcanoes), exterior effects (e.g. impact cratering) and their atmospheres (e.g. wind...
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.
SPARCS
SPARCS
The Star-Planet Activity Research CubeSat (SPARCS) is a small space telescope about the size and shape of a family-size Cheerios box.
ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter
ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter
The 2016 ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) is the first in a series of Mars missions to be undertaken jointly by the two space agencies, ESA and Roscosmos.
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.
Space Drafts
Space Drafts is Tucson’s flavor of Astronomy on Tap. Talks are held one Wednesday of every month at one of Tucson’s finest microbreweries, The Borderlands Brewing Company . Space Drafts is free and open to all ages (of humans and dogs alike).
OSIRIS-REx
The OSIRIS-REx mission is an Asteroid Sample Return Mission— Exploring our Past, Securing our Future through Pioneering Asteroid Science....
Space Imagery Center
The Space Imagery Center at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory is a research collection of NASA planetary photography, cartographic...