The State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences (SKLPlanets) was originally established in 2018 with the approval from the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China. As part of China’s strategic initiative to strengthen scientific and technological innovation and to enhance research capabilities, SKLPlanets was approved for restructuring and upgrading in January 2025, and officially inaugurated on August 26. As the first state key laboratory in astronomy and planetary sciences, its establishment reflects the nation’s high priority on deep space exploration and marks a significant step in promoting scientific and technological collaboration within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area. It also supports Macau's development as an international hub for scientific research cooperation.
SKLPlanets’core faculty comprises a chair professor, professors, distinguished guest professors, associate professors, and assistant professors, totaling 50 members. Together with domestic and international experts and scholars from prestigious institutions, they form a robust research team of approximately three hundred people. Professor Zong Qiugang serves as the director of the SKLPlanets.
SKLPlanets’overarching goal is to become a globally influential planetary science research centre at the forefront of deep space exploration, serving as a bridge for international exchange. SKLPlanets strives to build an international high-level academic exchange and cooperation centre, participate in major national deep space exploration projects, provide necessary scientific support, cultivate top-tier planetary sciences talents, build a globally competitive research team, and contribute to Macau's technological advancement through a diversified development.
SKLPlanets has established three primary research directions: planetary environment and habitability, planetary formation and evolution, and space exploration.
The Laboratory’s research encompasses fundamental investigations of near-Earth space, the Moon, Mars, small celestial bodies, gas giant planets, planetary magnetosphere and heliosphere through integrated numerical simulations, data analysis, high-resolution observations, and experimental approaches. The core research areas include Earth’s radiation belts, solar wind interactions with the Moon, planets, and small celestial bodies, as well as the detection of heliosphere boundaries. Further research topics include planetary internal structures and gravity fields, fluid dynamics and magnetohydrodynamics for planetary interiors, impact cratering, planetary topography and morphology, planetary surface material properties, planetary surface environments, planetary atmospheric dynamics, sampling/meteorite analysis, astrobiology, life forms in extreme environments, astrobiology-related simulations, space biotechnology, and other research topics.
Operating within the national framework of research targets and drive, SKLPlanets has undertaken several basic research projects in lunar and planetary science and achieved significant results.
In 2012, the SKLPlanets’ research project “Analysis and Research of Chang’e Lunar Exploration Data” won the third prize in the Natural Science Award of Macau Science and Technology Awards.
In 2016, the research project “Scientific Discoveries based on Multi-band Lunar Data from the Chang’e Mission” won the first prize in the Natural Science Award of Macau Science and Technology Awards.
In 2020, the research project “Study of Surface Features and Internal Structures of the Moon, Asteroids, and Gas Giant Planets”won the first prize in the Natural Science Award of Macau Science and Technology Awards.
In 2022, the research project “Scientific Discoveries in the Study of Lunar and Martian Surface Environments” won the second prize in the Natural Science Award of Macau Science and Technology Awards.
In 2023, the Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) was awarded the titles of “Advanced Collective of the First Mars Exploration Mission” and “Advanced Individual of the First Mars Exploration Mission” by six national ministries and commissions (the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the National Defense Science and Industry Bureau, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission). This recognition honors the MUST scientists for their development of a multi-scale Martian climate numerical model and the optimization scheme they provided for selecting the landing time and location of the Tianwen-1 Mars mission.
In 2023, the project “HyperSpacEx - Medical and Biotechnological Potential of Fungi in Hypergravity for Space Exploration” was awarded for the HyperGES, a program offered by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA).
In 2023, the successful launch of the “Macau Science No. 1” satellite was followed by a letter of acknowledgment from President Xi Jinping. In his letter, President Xi encouraged the faculty and students to integrate into the national development strategy and contribute to the construction of a strong spacefaring nation.
In January 2024, during the “Presentation Ceremony of Medals, Awards, and Certificates of Honor in the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China for the Year 2023”, SKLPlanets was awarded the 2023 Professional Achievement Medal.
