The State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences (SKLPlanets) was originally established in 2018 with the approval of 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 enhance research capabilities, SKLPlanets was approved for restructuring and upgrading in January 2025, with its official inauguration following on 26 August. As the nation's first state key laboratory dedicated to astronomy and planetary sciences, it reflects China's strong commitment to deep space exploration. Furthermore, it marks a significant step towards promoting scientific and technological collaboration within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, bolstering Macau's development as an international hub for research cooperation.

The core faculty of SKLPlanets comprises over fifty members, including a Chair Professor, full professors, distinguished guest professors, associate professors, and assistant professors. Alongside domestic and international experts and scholars from prestigious institutions, they constitute a robust research team of approximately three hundred personnel. Professor Zong Qiugang serves as the Director of SKLPlanets. 

SKLPlanets is positioned strategically to advance China's national deep-space exploration strategy through the provision of essential scientific and technological support. The primary objectives of the laboratory are to cultivate premier talent in planetary science, establish an internationally competitive research team, and serve as a conduit for global academic cooperation between China and the West. Furthermore, SKLPlanets aims to promote the application of advanced aerospace achievements to support Macau's economic diversification and high-quality development. By conducting research at the global vanguard of deep-space science, SKLPlanets strives to establish itself as an internationally influential center for planetary research.

SKLPlanets has established three primary research directions: planetary environment and habitability, planetary formation and evolution, and space exploration.

The core research endeavors of SKLPlanets are delineated into three principal domains: planetary environment and habitability, planetary formation and evolution, and space exploration. The investigative scope encompasses fundamental investigations of near-Earth space, the Moon, Mars, small celestial bodies, gas giant planets, planetary magnetospheres, and the heliosphere. These environments are investigated via an integrated methodology comprising numerical simulations, data analysis, high-resolution observations, and experimental techniques. Core research domains emphasize the radiation belts of the Earth, heliospheric boundaries, and the interactions of the solar wind with various celestial bodies. Furthermore, the Laboratory investigates a broad spectrum of specialized subjects, ranging from the internal structures of planets, gravity fields, and surface morphology to atmospheric dynamics and the analysis of meteorites. This interdisciplinary research extends into the biological frontiers of space, encompassing astrobiology, extremophiles, astrobiological simulations, and space biotechnology.

Guided by national research objectives and strategic imperatives, SKLPlanets has undertaken several fundamental research initiatives within the fields of lunar and planetary sciences, culminating in significant scientific breakthroughs. 

In 2012, the research project undertaken by SKLPlanets, entitled ‘Analysis and Research of Chang’e Lunar Exploration Data’, was awarded the Third Prize in the Natural Science category at the Macau Science and Technology Awards. 

In 2016, the research project entitled ‘Scientific Discoveries based on Multi-band Lunar Data from the Chang’e Mission’ was awarded the First Prize in the Natural Science category at the Macau Science and Technology Awards. 

In 2020, the research project entitled ‘Study of Surface Features and Internal Structures of the Moon, Asteroids, and Gas Giant Planets’ was awarded the First Prize in the Natural Science category at the Macau Science and Technology Awards.

In 2022, the research project entitled ‘Scientific Discoveries in the Study of Lunar and Martian Surface Environments’ was awarded the Second Prize in the Natural Science category at the Macau Science and Technology Awards.

n 2023, the Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) was awarded the titles of ‘Advanced Collective’and ‘Advanced Individual’ in relation to the First Mars Exploration Mission. These prestigious honors were jointly conferred 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 accolade acknowledges the scientists at MUST for the development of a multi-scale Martian climate numerical model, and for the provision of the optimization scheme utilized to ascertain the optimal landing time and location for the Tianwen-1 Mars mission.

In 2023, the project entitled ‘HyperSpacEx - Medical and Biotechnological Potential of Fungi in Hypergravity for Space Exploration’ was selected for HyperGES, a prestigious programme jointly offered by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the European Space Agency (ESA).

Following the successful launch of the ‘Macau Science 1’ satellite in 2023, President Xi issued a formal letter of reply, exhorting the academic staff and students to actively integrate themselves into the national development strategy, and to contribute towards establishing China as a pre-eminent space power.

SKLPlanets was awarded the 2023 Professional Achievement Medal at the Presentation Ceremony of Medals, Awards, and Certificates of Honour of the Macau Special Administrative Region, held in January 2024.

As documented in a report compiled by the Institutes of Science and Development of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, MUST attained the seventh position globally in terms of lunar science publication output for the period spanning 2021 to 2025.

In April 2026, the instrument entitled the ‘Martian Molecular and Ionic Composition Analyzer’, spearheaded by MUST, was selected as one of the five scientific payloads for the orbiter of the Tianwen-3 mission.

In May 2026, as evidenced by the latest Essential Science Indicators (ESI) data published by Clarivate, the discipline of Geosciences at MUST attained a position within the global top one per cent for the first time.

In May 2026, the research team at SKLPlanets was honored with the Group Medal at the Fourth National Innovation Excellence Awards, jointly conferred by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of the People’s Republic of China, the China Association for Science and Technology, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council.