The Lunar and Planetary Science Conference stands out as the main event for space scientists around the globe. Every year, more than 2,000 researchers gather to talk about the latest discoveries on the Moon, Mars, and other worlds.
They focus on research that pushes our understanding of planetary bodies and their processes forward. It’s a big deal for anyone interested in space exploration.
LPSC brings together specialists in petrology, geochemistry, geophysics, geology, and astronomy. Scientists from universities, space agencies, and private companies share what they’ve learned and help shape how we think about our solar system.
Researchers present peer-reviewed studies on lunar samples, Martian geology, asteroid composition, and planetary formation. The topics are wide-ranging but always relevant.
Key research areas include:
Academic researchers connect with NASA scientists and commercial space companies at the event. This collaboration speeds up discoveries and helps ensure research findings actually guide future space missions and exploration strategies.
Back in March 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson announced the creation of the Lunar Science Institute at the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston. The first conference, called the Apollo 11 Lunar Science Conference, happened from January 5-8, 1970.
Early conferences mostly focused on lunar samples from Apollo missions. Scientists dug into Moon rocks and soil to figure out what the Moon is made of and how it formed.
In 1978, organizers switched the name to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. The new name reflected a bigger scope—Mars, Venus, asteroids, and more became part of the conversation.
Since 1970, LPSC has run every year except in 2020, when COVID-19 shut things down. The 2021 event went fully virtual, and since 2022, the conference has been a hybrid mix of in-person and online sessions.
LPSC stretches across five packed days every March at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center in Texas. The conference features parallel oral presentations and poster sessions on all sorts of planetary science topics.
Each day brings several presentation sessions, usually organized by planetary body or research technique. Scientists get 15 minutes for their talks, then field quick questions.
Conference highlights include:
Poster sessions let researchers show off detailed findings and chat one-on-one with colleagues. These often spark new collaborations and partnerships.
Special sessions cover current space missions like Mars rovers, lunar sample returns, and asteroid exploration. Mission scientists share discoveries and analysis as they happen.
The Lunar and Planetary Science Conference takes place at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel in Texas. Virtual attendance options let people join from anywhere.
The venue can handle over 1,700 scientists and researchers. It’s modern, comfortable, and set up for a crowd.
The Woodlands is a master-planned community about 30 miles north of Houston. It’s a pretty ideal spot for a big scientific conference.
NASA Johnson Space Center is nearby, so a lot of attendees squeeze in a visit while they’re here. The area has plenty of hotels and restaurants, making it easy for visitors to settle in.
Conference facilities are well maintained, and getting around is simple. The local community has welcomed the event for years.
The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center hosts the main action. This is where technical sessions and poster presentations happen.
Multiple meeting rooms and large ballrooms handle everything from keynote speeches to breakout discussions. Attendees can stay at the hotel, eat on-site, and find plenty of space for informal chats.
Modern audio-visual setups make presentations and live streaming possible for virtual participants. Tech staff are on hand to keep things running smoothly.
There’s parking for those who drive, and the hotel sits close to shopping and dining in The Woodlands.
Virtual attendance lets people join sessions from anywhere in the world. Remote participants can watch live presentations and access recorded content.
Online platforms support poster sessions and networking, too. Virtual attendees interact with presenters and each other using digital tools.
Registration for virtual attendance is usually less expensive. That makes it more accessible for researchers on a tight budget.
Time zones can make live sessions tricky for some, but recorded sessions help with that. Hybrid formats have grown more popular as tech has improved.
The 56th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference runs from March 10–14, 2025, at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center in Texas. Attendees can join in person or virtually, with options for oral presentations, poster sessions, and special lectures.
The conference covers five full days, each loaded with scientific presentations and chances to network. Monday, March 10 starts off with the Masursky Lecture at 1:00 PM CDT, given by Dr. Elizabeth Rampe from NASA Johnson Space Center.
Later that day, NASA Headquarters hosts a briefing at 5:45 PM CDT. Speakers include Brad Bailey, Jacob Bleacher, and Charles Webb—all from NASA.
Important deadlines fall just before the conference. March 5, 2025 is the last day to submit oral presentation files and publish iPosters, so presenters need to plan ahead.
The conference now runs as a hybrid event. Scientists can attend in person at The Woodlands or join remotely using virtual platforms.
Virtual attendees watch live-streamed presentations, participate in Q&A, and view posters online. The hybrid model keeps LPSC collaborative and accessible to more people.
Registration has different pricing for in-person and virtual options. Both groups get access to the same scientific content and networking.
LPSC uses several presentation formats, including topical symposia and problem-focused sessions. Oral presentations follow a tight schedule, with each speaker getting a set time slot.
Poster sessions offer more room for detailed discussions. These interactive formats let researchers and attendees dig deeper into methods and results.
Special sessions and themed workshops add variety. Abstracts go through peer review, so sessions stay high quality and relevant.
More than 2,000 people show up at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference each year. The crowd includes seasoned international experts and new planetary scientists and students.
The conference attracts top researchers from space agencies, universities, and research institutions everywhere. NASA Johnson Space Center scientists share findings from Mars missions and lunar sample work.
European Space Agency experts bring data from Jupiter’s moons and asteroid studies. Japan’s JAXA teams talk about Hayabusa missions, while India’s scientists present their lunar and Mars discoveries.
Canadian Space Agency researchers join in with their planetary science contributions. These experts often lead sessions on topics like planetary geology, astrobiology, and spacecraft instruments.
Program committee chairs such as Pat McGovern from the Lunar and Planetary Institute and Eve Berger from NASA Johnson Space Center organize sessions by topic. The annual Masursky Lecture features a distinguished speaker—often a NASA scientist.
Professional researchers make up the core audience, coming from universities, government labs, and private space companies. They present peer-reviewed research on everything from meteorite analysis to spacecraft data.
Graduate students and early-career researchers are a big part of the crowd. They present posters on their thesis work and often collaborate with established scientists.
The conference committee includes over 50 program members from different fields. Some, like Francis McCubbin, focus on lunar samples, while others specialize in Mars or the outer planets.
Presentations cover geochemistry, geophysics, astronomy, and more. Attendees come from all over North America, Europe, Asia, and beyond.
The conference is a great place for scientists to form research partnerships and brainstorm future mission concepts. Collaborations that start here often lead to joint publications and grant proposals.
Virtual options now make it easier for global scientists to join in. The hybrid format keeps the collaborative spirit alive, even for those who can’t travel.
Researchers coordinate across institutions and countries during the event. Informal chats between sessions sometimes spark big ideas.
LPSC helps strengthen connections between NASA, international space agencies, and universities. These relationships support future missions and push solar system science forward.
The Lunar and Planetary Science Conference covers research from Moon geology to Mars atmosphere studies. Scientists share findings on planetary formation, asteroid composition, and data from active missions.
Lunar science research digs into Moon formation, composition, and its geological history. Scientists study Apollo-era samples and data from newer robotic explorers.
Teams analyze lunar regolith to understand space weathering. They look at crater patterns to figure out impact histories across the Moon.
Current lunar studies include:
Researchers investigate lunar volcanism by studying ancient lava flows and pyroclastic deposits. These studies reveal details about early solar system conditions and how planets evolve.
Mapping the Moon’s gravity field helps scientists understand its internal structure. This research gives clues about Moon formation and helps plan future landing missions.
Planetary science research covers atmospheric studies, surface geology, and comparative planetology across solar system bodies. Scientists dig into how planets formed and changed over billions of years.
Atmospheric research looks at weather patterns, chemical makeup, and how climates evolve. Researchers dive into Venus’s thick clouds, Mars’s thin air, and the wild atmospheres of gas giants.
Surface geology reveals clues about planetary formation by mapping craters, tracking volcanic activity, and studying erosion. Researchers compare geology across worlds, searching for shared formation processes.
Key research areas include:
Comparative planetology lets scientists explore why Earth ended up habitable while similar planets didn’t. This work shapes the hunt for habitable worlds outside our solar system.
Active space missions constantly send back new data for conferences. NASA’s Perseverance rover roams Mars, studying its geology and collecting samples for future return to Earth.
The James Webb Space Telescope offers spectacular new views of exoplanet atmospheres. Scientists analyze its spectroscopic data, hoping to spot atmospheric components and maybe even hints of life on distant planets.
Major active missions include:
Recent discoveries really spark conference debates. Scientists share updates about subsurface oceans on icy moons, organic material on Mars, and asteroid compositions that no one expected.
Mission data keeps surprising everyone. Saturn’s moon Enceladus shoots out water geysers, and Mercury’s magnetic field doesn’t fit old formation theories at all.
Conference talks often highlight new research areas that are catching everyone’s attention. Astrobiology teams dig into potential life signatures in extreme environments across the solar system.
Planetary defense research focuses on asteroid impact threats and how to avoid them. Scientists track near-Earth objects and work on ways to deflect them—just in case.
Trending research topics include:
Climate modeling helps us understand how atmospheres change on Venus and Mars. These studies sometimes even inform Earth climate science.
Presentations on new technology show off the latest instruments and analysis tricks. Improved spectroscopy, advanced imaging, and better robotics keep pushing planetary exploration forward.
Scientists worldwide send in over 2,000 research abstracts to LPSC every year. Reviewers carefully check each one to make sure it’s up to planetary science standards.
The abstract submission process really drives LPSC’s scientific program. Scientists upload their findings online months before the conference.
Expert reviewers in each field read through the abstracts. They judge the scientific quality, check the methods, and decide if the research matters.
The selection committee weighs two main things: how well the research fits conference themes, and whether the science holds up.
Selection Criteria:
Accepted abstracts get a notification a few weeks before the conference. Authors then prep their presentations following formatting and timing rules.
Oral presentations run in parallel sessions throughout the five-day conference. Each session sticks to a specific topic—maybe Mars geology, lunar samples, or asteroid composition.
Speakers get 15-20 minutes to share their research. That includes time for audience questions and some lively back-and-forth with other scientists.
Presentations follow a structure: introduce the research question, lay out the methods, show results, and talk about what it means for planetary science.
Session chairs keep things moving and help with discussions. They make sure speakers stick to their time slots.
Typical Session Structure:
Poster sessions offer a more hands-on way to share research. Scientists put up their work on big poster boards in the exhibition area.
These sessions usually last 2-3 hours during lunch or in the evening. Attendees wander through, chatting with researchers about their findings.
Poster sessions let people dig deeper into methods and ask detailed questions. Scientists can really get into the nitty-gritty.
The poster format fits well for early results, ongoing projects, or studies with tons of data. Many grad students and early-career researchers go this route.
Poster sessions often spark new collaborations. People find related work and spot chances to team up for future research.
The Lunar and Planetary Science Conference offers more than just research talks. Specialized programming includes big plenary presentations, targeted workshops, educational sessions for the next generation, and team meetings that keep missions on track.
Plenary sessions kick off each LPSC day with talks from leading scientists and mission directors. These overviews cover major discoveries and mission results from the past year.
Mission Update Presentations highlight findings from active NASA missions—think Mars rovers, lunar orbiters, or asteroid sample returns. Principal investigators show off the latest data and images to everyone.
Big plenary topics have included New Horizons results from the outer solar system and updates from Mars sample collection. These talks sometimes reveal data that hasn’t been published yet.
Distinguished Lecture Series brings in top scientists to share research that spans their careers. These lectures usually tackle broad themes like planetary formation or astrobiology.
Space agency leaders also take the stage to talk about future exploration. NASA administrators discuss upcoming missions and funding priorities that will steer the field.
Specialized workshops let focused research communities tackle technical challenges and new topics. These sessions create space for in-depth discussion.
Analytical Technique Workshops train scientists on the latest lab methods for planetary materials. Recent workshops have covered sample analysis from asteroids and advanced spectroscopy.
Sample analysis workshops become especially valuable as Mars sample return missions get closer. Scientists learn how to handle extraterrestrial materials the right way.
Mission Planning Sessions let scientists hash out future exploration ideas. These workshops help define what missions should do and what instruments they’ll need.
Collaborative workshops bring together people from different specialties to work on shared problems like planetary climate modeling or crater studies.
Data Analysis Workshops teach computational methods for handling spacecraft data. As missions produce more data, these sessions become crucial for everyone.
Educational programming at LPSC aims at everyone from grad students to K-12 teachers. These sessions focus on science communication and getting the public excited about planetary exploration.
Graduate Student Sessions give early-career researchers a chance to present their thesis work and get feedback from seasoned scientists.
Career development workshops help students move from academic research to jobs in space science. Industry reps talk about opportunities in aerospace and government.
Teacher Professional Development brings in K-12 educators to catch up on new planetary science discoveries. Teachers get classroom materials and training on NASA educational resources.
Public outreach training helps scientists share their research with general audiences. Communication specialists offer tips for media interviews and public talks.
Diversity and Inclusion Programs support underrepresented groups in planetary science with mentorship and networking. These events aim to break down barriers in space science careers.
Science teams for active missions use LPSC to coordinate research. These meetings help with planning and data sharing among mission members.
Mission Team Coordination sessions bring together scientists working with specific spacecraft. Teams discuss analysis priorities and plan publications for big findings.
Mars mission teams hold planning meetings to coordinate rover operations and pick sample sites. These technical sessions can directly affect what the spacecraft do next.
Consortium Meetings unite researchers on big projects like meteorite studies or comparative planetology. Participants share resources and sync up their work.
Lab analysis teams meet to standardize how they study returned samples. As more missions bring back material, these coordination efforts get even more important.
Future Mission Planning sessions help teams get ready for new exploration opportunities. They refine instrument ideas and mission goals through group discussion.
The Lunar and Planetary Science Conference runs thanks to a partnership between three main organizations. USRA manages things through LPI, and NASA’s Science Mission Directorate brings essential funding and scientific direction.
The Lunar and Planetary Institute leads conference organization for LPSC. LPI handles everything from abstract review to program development and venue logistics.
The institute manages over 2,000 abstract submissions each year. Peer review ensures all research meets the standard for planetary science.
LPI staff coordinate registration, scheduling, and participant services. Meeting coordinators like Monica George, Mary Harrison, Sandra Lozano, and Tiffany Sumpter keep things running smoothly.
The institute also organizes topical symposia and special sessions based on submitted work. Events run throughout the five-day conference.
LPI maintains the conference website and provides tech support for both in-person and virtual attendees. The institute publishes abstracts and keeps searchable databases of past presentations.
Universities Space Research Association owns and operates the Lunar and Planetary Institute. USRA supplies the resources needed to run LPSC every year.
Walter Kiefer currently serves as Interim Director of USRA/LPI and Conference Co-Chair. This dual role keeps leadership and planning in sync.
USRA sets conference policies like the Code of Conduct. The organization commits to a harassment-free experience for everyone.
The association manages finances and contracts with venues like The Woodlands Waterway Marriott. USRA also handles tech partnerships for virtual events.
USRA oversees LPI operations to keep quality high. The organization makes sure conference content is rigorous yet accessible for students and early-career researchers.
NASA Johnson Space Center co-sponsors LPSC with LPI. The agency provides funding and scientific leadership for the conference.
NASA’s Planetary Science Division supports LPSC through the Science Mission Directorate. This keeps LPSC at the top of planetary science meetings.
Senior NASA officials present at LPSC every year. The NASA Headquarters Briefing features leaders like Planetary Science Director Lori Glaze and Senior Scientist for Astrobiology David Grinspoon.
NASA scientists take part as speakers and session chairs. Agency researchers share updates from current missions and future plans.
The partnership lets LPSC showcase NASA mission results and tie agency priorities to academic research. This connection helps turn discoveries into real exploration.
The Lunar and Planetary Science Conference stands as the backbone of planetary research. It connects over 2,000 international scientists and offers essential career development for emerging researchers.
LPSC pushes planetary science research forward with a tough peer-review process and a presentation style that covers a lot of ground. Scientists from all over the world send in abstracts, and the organizers pick the ones that match current research priorities and have solid scientific value.
The conference highlights breakthrough discoveries from big space missions. Research teams share new findings that change how we see Mars geology, lunar composition, and asteroid characteristics.
These talks often mark the first time anyone outside the mission teams hears about the data.
Topical symposia group presentations by research focus. Scientists can pick sessions on things like planetary atmospheres, surface processes, or astrobiology.
This setup helps researchers keep up with the latest in their fields.
The conference offers both oral and poster presentations. Poster sessions give researchers a chance to chat in detail and help smaller projects get noticed.
LPSC sparks connections that lead to research partnerships across institutions. Scientists from all sorts of backgrounds meet in person to talk about shared interests and possible collaborations.
The conference brings together people from universities, government, and private companies. NASA scientists share the stage with international space agency folks and academic researchers.
This mix of backgrounds leads to new ideas and methods.
Special sessions focus on emerging planetary science topics. These sessions can kick off new research directions and even inspire proposals for future missions.
The five-day schedule gives everyone plenty of time to build relationships. Scientists hang out at evening receptions, have informal chats, and join working groups outside of the main talks.
Graduate students and postdocs get crucial exposure to the planetary science community at LPSC. Many present their dissertation work for the first time here.
Early-career scientists get feedback from experienced researchers during poster sessions. This kind of mentorship helps them sharpen their research and communication skills.
The conference doubles as a networking event for jobs. University departments, government labs, and private companies look for new talent at LPSC.
Student travel grants help make attending possible for those who might not otherwise afford it. That way, financial barriers don’t keep the next generation of planetary scientists out.
The Lunar and Planetary Science Conference started after the Apollo 11 mission. Over the years, it’s grown into the top meeting for planetary scientists everywhere.
Back in 1970, it began as a Moon rock showcase. Now, it covers every angle of Solar System exploration.
NASA kicked off the first meeting in 1970 and called it the Apollo 11 Lunar Science Conference. The main goal? Let scientists who got the first Moon rock samples share what they found.
Scientists came together to talk about their first analyses of lunar materials. These researchers handled samples that no one had ever touched before—except the Apollo astronauts, of course.
The meeting turned out to be a big hit. NASA saw the value and decided to fund it every year.
That first conference set the stage for what’s now the most important annual gathering in planetary science. It started small, but the focus—understanding our nearest neighbor—was a game-changer.
The conference didn’t stay lunar-focused for long. As NASA moved from Apollo to more robotic missions, the scope grew to include Mars and the outer planets.
For thirty years, everyone met at Johnson Space Center in Houston. Attendees even enjoyed a Texas-style chili cook-off—a quirky tradition that people still talk about.
After September 11th, security concerns forced changes. Organizers moved the conference to hotels in Houston’s suburbs, and the chili cook-off became a thing of the past.
Growth mirrored NASA’s expanding reach:
Attendance has shot up tenfold since the early days. Big mission rollouts like Magellan, Galileo, and the Mars rovers have drawn huge crowds.
Scientists have chosen this conference to announce some of the field’s biggest discoveries. Lunar scientist Paul Spudis once pointed out that almost every major finding in planetary science textbooks got its first mention here.
Some landmark announcements:
The conference has launched ideas for future missions, too. Researchers pitch new spacecraft concepts, and many end up selected by NASA.
Students and early-career folks often get priority for oral presentations. Senior scientists usually present posters instead, giving the next generation a bigger spotlight.
The meeting has its own quirky traditions. Scientists write haiku abstracts for poetry prizes, and paddleboat races happen on the hotel’s canals.
LPSC keeps shaping the future of planetary exploration with annual meetings and new research trends. NASA’s Planetary Science Division reviews funding strategies, and institutions continue to back community-driven collaboration.
The 56th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference runs March 10-14, 2025, at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center in Texas. Organizers are making this a hybrid event, so you can join in person or online.
Registration opens a few months ahead of time. Scientists submit abstracts on their latest work across all areas of planetary science.
The 2026 conference is already in the planning stages. Organizers plan to stick with the five-day format that’s worked for over fifty years.
Conference Highlights:
Right now, a lot of research centers on Mars exploration and lunar surface studies. Ocean worlds—think Europa and Enceladus—are getting more attention, too.
Asteroid research has been in the spotlight since the DART mission’s success. That planetary defense demo opened up new questions about asteroid impacts.
Small body exploration keeps growing. Scientists dig into asteroids and comets to piece together how the solar system formed.
Hot Research Topics:
The Lunar and Planetary Institute handles most of the conference organization. NASA’s Planetary Science Division supplies crucial funding, even with recent budget debates.
Universities pitch in through faculty involvement and student travel grants. Departments like the Department of Planetary Sciences and Lunar and Planetary Laboratory play big roles.
USGS Astrogeology Science Center scientists present their latest findings each year. Their involvement keeps the link strong between government research and academia.
Private aerospace companies are showing up more, too. These partnerships open doors for technology sharing and mission planning.
People have plenty of questions about attending LPSC, submitting research, and using conference resources. The event draws planetary scientists from all over to share discoveries and build connections.
The conference features research in petrology, geochemistry, geophysics, geology, and astronomy. Scientists present work on lunar samples, Mars missions, asteroid studies, and theories about how planets form.
Attendees get updates from NASA missions like Perseverance and Artemis. Topics include meteorite analysis, planetary atmospheres, and the geology of moons and planets.
There’s also a focus on new tech for space exploration—like instruments for sample analysis and remote sensing.
Abstract submissions usually open a few months before the March conference. Scientists submit their research summaries through the official LPSC website.
Conference organizers review each abstract for scientific merit and relevance to planetary science.
Session proposals take some coordination between researchers in similar fields. Organizers encourage interdisciplinary sessions that connect different sides of planetary research.
LPSC offers a collaborative space where experts from around the world meet up. Scientists share ideas during poster sessions and catch up over coffee breaks.
Graduate students can meet potential advisors and explore research opportunities. Early career researchers connect with established scientists in their fields.
Industry reps come to discuss partnerships with universities. These conversations often turn into funded research or mission collaborations.
Scientists often share big findings from space missions at LPSC. Recent years brought discoveries from the James Webb Space Telescope and Mars rover teams.
Researchers present analyses of samples from missions like OSIRIS-REx. These talks are sometimes the first public look at new extraterrestrial materials.
Mission teams use LPSC to outline future exploration plans. NASA and international agencies talk about upcoming lunar and planetary missions.
The conference happens every March in The Woodlands, Texas. The 2025 meeting will be March 10-14 at the Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center.
You can attend in person or virtually. Registration opens months in advance on the official website.
Students get discounted rates with proof of enrollment. Professional scientists pay standard fees, which cover access to all sessions.
You can check out conference abstracts through the Lunar and Planetary Institute database. They’ve archived research summaries from decades of LPSC meetings.
It’s pretty easy to search for past abstracts—you can look them up by author, topic, or even mission name. The database basically gives you a full record of how planetary science research has evolved.
A lot of presentations end up as full, peer-reviewed journal articles. Researchers often cite LPSC abstracts in their published work.
