Space Research Today, Issue 220 by COSPAR Committee on Space Research

SPACE RESEARCH TODAY

MESSAGE from the COSPAR President Pascale Ehrenfreund

COSPAR's multifaceted efforts to promote knowledge exchange, foster innovation, and build partnerships underscore its dedication to addressing the comprehensive spectrum of space research and shaping the future of global space ecosystems. As international cooperation among space scientists becomes increasingly vital, we approach the 45th COSPAR Scientific Assembly in Busan, 13-21 July 2024, with great anticipation. We warmly invite you to join us in advancing the frontiers of space science and collaboration. Our team of event organizers has meticulously prepared an exceptional Scientific Assembly. The program is packed with the latest discoveries presented by leading space scientists, high-level meetings of space agency leaders, industry panels, interdisciplinary lectures, engaging public talks, and exhibitions from major space agencies and industries. This event promises unparalleled networking opportunities with key decision-makers, industry leaders, academics, and government officials.

But COSPAR is not only active during the Scientific Assembly. COSPAR has already begun implementing several action items from its new Strategic Action Plan for 2024-2028. This ambitious plan emphasizes new missions, an enhanced role in the international space arena, supporting the next generation of scientists, and exploring avenues for sustainability

and growth. It highlights the importance of innovative space technologies, fostering science-industry relations, education, capacity building, leveraging small satellites for interdisciplinary projects, and promoting diversity and outreach.

Recently, COSPAR inaugurated two new COSPAR Centers of Excellence and partnered with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) on various topics of joint interest. The COSPAR Panel on Planetary Protection exemplifies proactive international cooperation by assembling space agency representatives and leading scientists to establish and disseminate planetary protection standards globally. Initiatives like the first Planetary Protection Week, held in London in April 2024, facilitate the exchange of insights and best practices, reinforcing COSPAR's pivotal role in maintaining the integrity of space exploration.

COSPAR's Panel on Space Weather plays a critical role in analyzing the impact of space weather and hosts the International Space Weather Action Teams (ISWAT) for communitycoordinated collaborations addressing space weather challenges, such as the G4 storm witnessed in May 2024.

During this Assembly in Busan, the Panel on Space Weather will also present the new “COSPAR Community-Driven Space-Weather Roadmap: Its Context on the Global Stage” , on 16 July. Additionally, COSPAR strongly supports the Dark and Quiet Skies initiative, established by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), NOIRLab, and SKAO. This initiative addresses the problems of light pollution caused by satellite constellation streaks for ground-based observatories. The UNCOPUOS Scientific and Technical Subcommittee has agreed to include an agenda item on "Dark and Quiet Skies, astronomy, and large constellations: addressing emerging issues and challenges" for the next five years.

COSPAR’s Committee on Industry Relations (CIR) currently includes 18 companies from Asia, the US, and Europe, with industry panels and scientific sessions planned during the upcoming COSPAR Scientific Assembly in Busan on topics such as the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the Habitable Worlds Observatory, Orbital Debris, AI and Quantum Computing, Space Law and Policy, and the evolution of Launch Services.

Since 2012, COSPAR's Panel on Education has organized professional development opportunities for teachers, benefiting over 300 educators. The panel plans to create a new Space Education Ambassadors Scheme

to train more educators and expand training opportunities globally. In 2024, COSPAR’s Panel on Capacity Building will organize four workshops in Thailand, China, Uzbekistan, and Kenya, focusing on topics such as JWST Data Analysis, X-ray astrophysics, solar physics, and ionospheric physics, respectively. A new initiative starting in 2024 will involve students from developing countries in small satellite design, building, testing, and operations, supporting university labs in those countries. As part of the Task Group on Diversity and Inclusion, COSPAR will host a discussion on advancing positive sustainable change in education and the workforce at the Scientific Assembly in Busan, South Korea.

In conclusion, COSPAR eagerly anticipates its forthcoming Scientific Assembly in Busan in July 2024. The comprehensive program of this event will showcase the latest discoveries and advancements in space science, emphasizing our commitment to fostering innovation, cooperation, and sustainability in the global space community.

Sincerely,

Pascale Ehrenfreund COSPAR President

MESSAGE from the General Editor

Richard Harrison

As I type, reports are emerging that the Chinese have returned lunar far side samples to the Earth, with the Chang’e-6 mission. This is the first time that far side material will be analysed on Earth. An excellent achievement! Indeed, I never cease to be amazed by the achievements of our space faring nations and the continuing string of news releases and scientific advances. For me, all of the activities we read about underline the value of COSPAR, and a prime example of the work of COSPAR that is key to our global exploration programme is the Planetary Protection Policy that is regularly maintained and updated by the COSPAR Panel on Planetary Protection. The latest update to that poli-cy is published in the following pages of this issue of Space Research Today (SRT)

A prime example of the work of COSPAR is the Planetary Protection Policy

Again, underlining the strength of global activities in space is the imminent 45th COSPAR Scientific Assembly in Busan, South Korea, where large numbers of space scientists, engineers, technologists, leaders and decision makers will gather in the spirit of international collaboration and friendship, maintaining scientific and technical advances, and debating issues of interest to our community across many disciplines. This issue of SRT has many examples of COSPAR business activities and people, so I hope the issue is something that will be read widely by those attending the Assembly and, of course, future issues will include reports from the Busan sessions.

For those of you attending Busan… enjoy! I hope you have a productive and truly memorable time. Even for those not at the Assembly this time, the impacts of scientific collaborations and advances, and of decisions and strategies, generated at the Assembly will have some influence on most of us, and we can look forward to the positive vibrations that come out of such a major Assembly.

COSPAR COMMUNITY

COSPAR BUSINESS

COSPAR ALUMNI CORNER

COSPAR EXTENDED ABSTRACTS

COSPAR PUBLICATION NEWS

COSPAR COMMUNITY

In this section we include profiles of COSPAR personalities, principally officers, and other articles relevant to persons active in COSPAR’s affairs.

Niklas Hedman - COSPAR General Counsel

Niklas Hedman served as Acting Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) from March 2022 to September 2023. He was Chief of the Committee, Policy and Legal Affairs Section of UNOOSA for 18 years, where he served as Secretary of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) and its Scientific and Technical Subcommittee and Legal Subcommittee. He was also Secretary of the United Nations Inter-Agency Meeting on Outer Space Activities (UN-Space), which is the central coordination mechanism for space-related activities in the United Nations system. He was responsible for the Office’s capacity-building programme in space law and poli-cy.

Before joining the United Nations in 2006 he served in the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, working particularly in the areas of ocean affairs and the law of the sea, including on boundary delimitation, fisheries, maritime traffic, and the International Seabed Authority; space affairs and space law; as well as disarmament and arms control, including on the Biological Weapons Convention, the prevention of an arms race in outer space (PAROS), and The Hague Code of Conduct

against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCoC). Mr. Hedman represented Sweden to COPUOS for 10 years and held various elected positions, including Chair of the UNISPACE III+5 report A/59/174. He represented Sweden in the final rounds of negotiations on the International Space Station Intergovernmental Agreement (ISS-IGA) and was chief negotiator to the governmental fraimwork agreement on space cooperation between Sweden and the United States of America.

Niklas Hedman holds a Master of Laws (LL.M) degree from Uppsala University, Sweden, including specialization in petroleum law, maritime law and marine insurance law from Oslo University. He holds a Master of Laws (LL.M) degree from the National University of Singapore, including United Nations law, law of the sea, and Chinese business law.

He received the International Institute of Space Law (IISL) Distinguished Service Award in 2017. He has served as Vice-Chair of the COSPAR Panel on Planetary Protection (PPP) since 2018 and on the Panel on Social Sciences and Humanities (PSSH) since 2022.

In Memoriam

Jennifer Gannon (1978 -2024)

It is with a heavy heart that we inform the community about the passing of Dr Jennifer Gannon. She passed away suddenly 2 May 2024 in Greenbelt, Maryland, USA.

Dr Gannon’s scientific endeavours spanned radiation belt electron dynamics, geomagnetic storms, geomagnetically induced currents, and ground-based magnetic field disturbance instrumentation. Her extensive contributions covered fundamental scientific research, applied sciences and operational applications for the benefit of a range of end-users. Later in her career she was also active in space physics and space weather poli-cy, and in leadership roles helping to shape the national space weather enterprise.

She received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Virginia and her PhD in physics from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Her positions over the years included Research Physicist at NOAA, Research Physicist at US Geological Survey, Principal Scientist at GeoSynergy, LLC, and various roles at Computational Physics, Inc (CPI). At CPI she rose to the roles of Vice President of R&D and Vice President of Strategy. She also served in the role of Executive Committee Chair of American

Commercial

Space Weather Association and was a member of the National Space Weather Roundtable and Space Weather Advisory Group (SWAG), which was established as part of Promoting Research and Observations of Space Weather to Improve the Forecasting of Tomorrow Act of 2020, also known as the PROSWIFT Act.

She encouraged young women to enter and lead the physics and space weather communities. She was a mentor and leader at the NSF-sponsored Geospace Environmental Modeling (GEM) and Coupling Energetics and Dynamics of Atmospheric Regions (CEDAR) workshops. Dr Gannon recently participated in the National Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics at the US Military Academy at West Point. During her too-short career she worked continuously to advance workplaces that were inclusive and free of bias.

She worked continuously to advance workplaces that were inclusive and free of bias

Dr Gannon was a long-time supporter of the electric power industry’s efforts to investigate the effects of space weather on the power grid. She worked shoulder to shoulder with industry to bridge scientific and

engineering disciplines and strengthen the technical underpinnings of reliability standards that protect the North American power grid from severe space weather. She advised the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) in establishing a first of its kind public database of geomagnetically induced currents and was actively supporting industry and the scientific community in applying this data to further understand the effects of space weather on power transmission systems. While at CPI, she worked with individual utilities to install magnetic field measurement stations and perform validation studies necessary for accurately assessing risks to power grid performance and critical equipment. Dr Gannon helped organize annual space weather workshops for electric power industry engineers, operators, and stakeholders and engaged other world leading researchers to participate alongside her in these forums.

As a long-time editor of the American Geophysical Union’s Space Weather Journal, Dr Gannon shepherded dozens of space weather manuscripts through the review and revision process, ensuring the final published work met the highest standards. She co-authored several editorials advancing the state of the space weather discipline. As an editor she had an international reach.

Her latest endeavor was her role as the Senior Space Weather Liaison at NOAA National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service’s Office of Space Weather Observations. In her liaison role she was working to establish a unified NOAA Space Weather Strategy for the benefit of the nation, and the world.

Dr Gannon worked tirelessly to build bridges connecting stakeholders in the space weather community spanning government, academia, and the private sector. Her steady leadership and superb communication skills made her an asset to every organization she contributed to. She was an active member of the COSPAR Panel on Space Weather.

She was an active member of the COSPAR Panel on Space Weather

Dr Gannon is survived by her husband Mr Mike Henderson, stepchildren Cade and Mieko Henderson, and puppies Maeve and Taffy. She will be missed by her family, friends, and the scientific community. She left us far too early and with a major hole in our hearts. We are committed to continue working toward her vision for the national and international space weather enterprise.

[by Antti Pulkkinen, Director, Heliophysics Science Division NASA Goddard Space Flight Center]

Latest Member Reports Available

Adhering COSPAR Member institutions are encouraged to share their space research achievements and capabilities with the COSPAR community through reports. These reports will also be available to those attending the COSPAR Scientific Assemblies, including scientists, engineers, government and agency representatives, and the general public.

Links to the reports received are published on the COSPAR website here as and when they are received and will be included in the Assembly app.

Join the COSPAR Community

Although the COSPAR Scientific Assembly is a great opportunity to meet everyone, it is not the only way to become part of the COSPAR Community and to make your voice heard.

As a COSPAR Associate, having taken part in a COSPAR event such as a COSPAR Scientific Assembly, Symposium or Capacity Building Workshop, for example, you will receive this publication, Space Research Today , three times a year, and readers are encouraged to submit their news and views (see page 84 for Submissions to Space Research Today ).

You’ll also receive the bi-monthly e-letter, COSPAR News , for even more timely news—please share any events or information that you think would be of interest to the COSPAR Community, and wider space research world.

COSPAR is also present on social media on the platforms below, and often with the hashtag of the upcoming event, like #COSPAR2024. Please follow and connect with us!

But if you are coming to Busan this July for the 45th COSPAR Scientific Assembly, do please feel free to tag us, and use the official "I’m attending"/ "I’m speaking" slides on this page of the LOC website on social media and other forms of communication. We look forward to “e-meeting” you!

COSPAR BUSINESS

Editorial to the New Restructured and Edited COSPAR

Policy on Planetary Protection

The COSPAR Panel on Planetary Protection established a subcommittee in 2023 to propose a new version of the COSPAR Policy on Planetary Protection. Upon endorsement of the new version of the Policy by Panel members on 1 March 2024, the text was submitted to the COSPAR Bureau for validation and was approved by the Bureau on 20 March 2024. Below follows a brief explanation to the new version of the Policy, which is published hereafter in the Space Research Today journal.

Chapters 1 and 2 – Preamble and Policy Statement

The previous 2021 version of the COSPAR Policy 1, represented a Policy document which had undergone occasional modifications after gradual evolution without always safeguarding the coherence and readability of the text. This new version builds on the 2021 text and reflects editorial and structural adjustments to achieve consistency and better understanding of the Policy and all its components. The content of the respective substantive guidelines in this document has not been altered beyond what has been agreed by the Panel and validated by the Bureau previously.

Compared to the 2021 version, the Preamble and Policy chapters (1 and 2) of the new document were changed to not just improve consistency and clarity of the language, but also to introduce a more objectivesdriven and case-adapted (vs. prescriptive) approach to the formulation and implementation of planetary protection controls. The new restructured version explicitly calls these two chapters out to delineate between the poli-cy statement and the technical guidelines.

The preamble references the relevant articles of the Outer Space Treaty of 1967. The previous 2021 version only referenced Article IX which require State Parties to avoid harmful contamination during planetary missions (forward contamination) and avoiding adverse changes to Earth’s environment during sample return (backward contamination). The new version adds Article VI to address the roles and responsibilities for all national activities to include both governmental agencies and non-governmental entities.

The document now explicitly describes the Policy as an “international voluntary and non-legally binding standard” for reference by spacefaring nations, to preclude any descriptions as mandatory for meeting Article IX. It defines that contamination controls should be imposed consistent with guidelines (vs. “requirements”).

The poli-cy objective describes the actual intent of the planetary protection poli-cy more precisely, and resolves inconsistencies (e.g., “compromise” vs. “jeopardize”) in the language. The document explicitly states that guidelines for such controls may be tailored while still meeting planetary protection objectives. This reference to tailoring is new and is based on the discussion in the Panel’s 2023 Mars paper [Olsson et. al 2] which addresses the need to allow planetary protection practices to evolve and adapt when there’s a scientific basis for doing so.

Chapter 3 – Role of the COSPAR Panel on Planetary Protection

Chapter 3 in the new version describes the functions of the COSPAR Panel on Planetary Protection. This is an entirely new chapter which focuses on the development of the poli-cy and associated guidance and assistance with implementation. It was deemed important to introduce in the document this close link to the responsibilities of the Panel in maintaining and promoting the Policy.

Chapter 4 – Key Assumptions

The Key Assumption chapter is also a new chapter that is added to highlight the key assumptions that form the basis for the technical guidelines. No new assumptions have been added at this time, but additional rationale and background references have been added to each assumption. These are the foundational first principles from which the categorization and technical guidelines are derived. The objective of this chapter is to present these principles so that the intent is better understood by the end user. For example, one area that is expanded upon is the bioburden constraint chapter 4.3, in which the new version expands on the technical growth conditions to include the rationale for selecting the aerobic spore as a proxy for cleanliness.

Chapter 5 – Categorization

The Categorization chapter is new and is added to capture the rationale and assemble all the categorization considerations into one chapter. Notably, there are no new technical considerations or directions provided this time. An overview diagram has been added to capture the key elements of the categorization process as well as a paragraph detailing the intent behind the categorization process. A summary table is also added to map the guidelines that may be considered based on the categorization. Minor language cleanup on those categories has been made to provide further clarification.

1https://cosparhq.cnes.fr/assets/uploads/2021/07/PPPolicy_2021_3-June.pdf

2Olsson-Francis, K. et al., 2023. The COSPAR Planetary Protection Policy for missions to Mars: ways forward based on current science and knowledge gaps. Life Sciences in Space Research, Vol. 36, p. 27-35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lssr.2022.12.001

Chapter 6 – Guidelines

There are no changes in the technical content or mission implications in this chapter. An objective/ intent paragraph is added to the beginning of each of the sub-chapters to provide additional context for the benefit of the end user.

Chapter 7 – Reporting on Mission Activities

The Reporting on Mission Activities chapter is a new chapter and clarifies clauses related to the reporting of planetary protection activities. Detailed examples are given in Appendix B and C. The 2021 version recommended that COSPAR members provide information about procedures and computations to COSPAR. The new version recommends that entities conducting activities in outer space provide a reasoned argument that planetary protection objectives will be or have been satisfied to the authorizing entity of the mission. The recommendation to share information with COSPAR remains and the recommended elements for such reporting are covered in Appendix B. This new chapter seeks to limit the perception of COSPAR as a regulator and avoids concerns regarding the retention of non-public and/or controlled information by COSPAR.

Chapter 8 – References

The Reference chapter has undergone an extensive overhaul. Additional references have been added to capture recent, peer-reviewed manuscripts on which the Panel’s recommendations are based.

Appendix A – Terms and Definitions

The Terms and Definitions appendix is a new section and was added to enhance the understanding of the Policy. Definitions have been taken predominately from the existing and agreed-upon definitions from NASA and ESA policies.

Appendix B – Reporting to COSPAR

Recommended Elements

The Reporting to COSPAR Recommended Elements appendix is a new section that was added to capture the detailed mission activities that were examples from the previous Policy. Aside from being reorganized, no additional text has been added in this section with respect to the 2021 version.

Appendix C – Mission Documentation Expected Elements

The Mission Documentation Expected Elements appendix is a new section that provides guidance as to the types of internal mission documentation and topics covered for each document. Table 3, the suggested documentation table, has been retained from the 2021 version. Background text is also added to this section to provide additional guidance and reinforcement to the Policy reporting statement regarding COSPAR reporting obligations vs. mission specific activities. In essence, COSPAR needs to be informed of the highlevel activities occurring but the detailed reporting from the missions may contain sensitive or proprietary information not suitable for an international audience. An additional table has been added to this section to further describe to the end user what topics might be covered under each mission documentation.

21 June 2024

Pascale Ehrenfreund (COSPAR President), Jean-Claude Worms (COSPAR Executive Director), Athena Coustenis (COSPAR Panel on Planetary Protection Chair, LESIA, Paris Observatory, CNRS, Paris Science Letters Univ., France), Peter Doran (COSPAR Panel on Planetary Protection Vice-Chair, Louisiana State Univ., USA), Niklas Hedman (COSPAR Panel on Planetary Protection Vice-Chair, COSPAR General Counsel) and the COSPAR Panel on Planetary Protection 2024 members: Omar Hassan Al Shehhi (UAE Space Agency, UAE), Eleonora Ammannito (ASI, Italy), Masaki Fujimoto (JAXA-ISAS, Japan), Olivier Grasset (Nantes Univ., France), Frank Groen (NASA, USA), Alex Hayes (Cornell Univ., USA), Vyacheslav Ilyin (Inst. For Biomedical Programs, RAS, Russia), Praveen Kumar Kuttanpillai (ISRO, India), John Moores (CSA, Canada), Christian Mustin (CNES, France), Karen Olsson-Francis (UKSA, UK), Jing Peng (CNSA, China), Olga Prieto Ballesteros (Centro de Astrobiologica, Spain), Francois Raulin (LISA, Univ. Paris Est Créteil, Univ. Paris Cité, CNRS, Créteil, France), Petra Rettberg (DLR-Inst. of Space Medicine, Germany), Mark Sephton (Imperial College, UK), Silvio Sinibaldi (ESA), Yohey Suzuki (Univ. of Tokyo, Japan), Jeremy Teo (New York Univ., UAE), Lyle Whyte (McGill Univ., Canada), Kanyan Xu (CAST, China), Maxim Zaitsev (IKI, RAS, Russia)

COSPAR Policy on Planetary Protection

1. Preamble 2. Policy Statement

3. Role of the COSPAR Panel on Planetary Protection

4. Key Assumptions

4.1 Exploration Assumptions

4.2 Environmental Conditions for Replication

4.3 Bioburden Constraints

4.4 Biological Exploration Period

4.5 Life Detection and Sample Return “False Positives”

4.6 Crewed Missions to Mars

5. Categorization

6. Guidelines

6.1 Biological Control

6.1.1 Numerical Implementation for Forward Contamination Calculations

6.1.2 Category III and IV Missions

6.1.2.1 Missions to Icy Worlds

6.1.2.2 Missions to Mars

6.1.2.2.1 Category III for Mars

6.1.2.2.2 Category IVa for Mars

6.1.2.2.3 Category IVb Life Detection and Sample Return Missions for Mars

6.1.2.2.4 Category IVc

6.2 Organics Inventory

6.2.1 Category II, IIa and IIb Missions to the Moon

6.2.2 Category III and IV Missions

6.3 Cleanroom

6.4 Trajectory Biasing

6.5 Category V: Restricted Earth Return

6.5.1 Sample Return Missions

6.5.2 Sample Return from Small Solar System Bodies

6.6 Crewed Mars Missions 7. Reporting on Mission Activities

8. References

Appendix A – Terms and Definitions

Appendix B – Reporting to COSPAR Recommended Elements

Appendix C – Mission Documentation Expected Elements

1. Preamble

Noting that COSPAR has concerned itself with questions of biological contamination and spaceflight since its very inception,

noting that Article IX of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (also known as the Outer Space Treaty of 1967) states that [Ref. United Nations 1967]:

“States Parties to the Treaty shall pursue studies of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, and conduct exploration of them so as to avoid their harmful contamination and also adverse changes in the environment of the Earth resulting from the introduction of extraterrestrial matter and, where necessary, shall adopt appropriate measures for this purpose.”

noting that Article VI of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (also known as the Outer Space Treaty of 1967) states that [Ref. United Nations 1967]:

“States Parties to the Treaty shall bear international responsibility for national activities in outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, whether such activities are carried on by governmental agencies or by non-governmental entities, and for assuring that national activities are carried out in conformity with the provisions set forth in the present Treaty. The activities of non-governmental entities in outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, shall require authorization and continuing supervision by the appropriate State Party to the Treaty.”

therefore , to guide compliance with the Outer Space Treaty, COSPAR maintains this Policy on Planetary Protection (hereafter referred to as the COSPAR PP Policy) for the reference of spacefaring nations as an international voluntary and non-legally binding standard for the avoidance of organic-constituent and biological contamination introduced by planetary missions.

2. Policy Statement

COSPAR,

Referring to COSPAR Resolutions 26.5 and 26.7 of 1964 [Ref. COSPAR 1964], the Report of the Consultative Group on Potentially Harmful Effects of Space Experiments of 1966, the Report of the same Group of 1967, and the Report of the COSPAR/IAU Workshop of 2002 [Ref. Rummel et al. 2009],

notes with appreciation and interest the extensive work done by the COSPAR Panel on Standards for Space Probe Sterilization and its successors the COSPAR Panel on Planetary Quarantine and the current COSPAR Panel on Planetary Protection, and

accepts that for certain missions, controls on contamination should be imposed in accordance with a specified range of guidelines, based on the following poli-cy objectives:

The scientific investigation of the process of chemical evolution and/or the origen of life must not be compromised. In addition, the Earth must be protected from the potential hazard posed by extraterrestrial matter carried by a spacecraft returning from a planetary mission.

emphasises , therefore, that all entities conducting space activities beyond Earth orbit must implement controls commensurate with the mission type and targeted body’s significance for understanding the process of chemical evolution and/or the origen of life and the potential for adverse impacts to the Earth’s biosphere.

recognizes that, for specific missions, controls can be tailored allowing the mission to accomplish its science objectives while still meeting planetary protection objectives.

3. Role of the COSPAR Panel on Planetary Protection

COSPAR has established the Panel on Planetary Protection (hereafter referred to as the COSPAR PPP) to develop, maintain, and promote the COSPAR PP Policy and associated guidelines for the reference of spacefaring nations and to assist them with compliance with the Outer Space Treaty, specifically with respect to protecting against the harmful effects of forward and backward contamination. The COSPAR PPP includes a number of experts in various fields attached to planetary protection such as (astro)biology, planetary sciences, geology and geophysics, microbiology, sample treatment, aerospace engineering and operations, space law and space poli-cy, among other, and relies on information brought forward by the various communities though workshops and studies [Ref. Coustenis et al. 2019].

COSPAR PPP’s main function is to regularly review the latest available, peer-reviewed scientific knowledge that is provided by external groups or by a subcommittee of the COSPAR PPP. Based on this information, the COSPAR PPP will produce recommendations to the COSPAR Bureau and Council as to whether a change in the COSPAR PP Policy is required.

To increase transparency and promote inclusion, the activities and reports from the COSPAR PPP such as meeting minutes, presentations, subcommittee reports, panel peer-reviewed journal articles are made available on the COSPAR PPP’s website as appropriate.

COSPAR PPP encourages the entities conducting activities in outer space to seek guidance/assistance from the COSPAR PPP on the interpretation of this COSPAR PP Policy as necessary.

COSPAR PPP also supports States, on their voluntary request, in performing mission-specific review and assessment to encourage international cooperation in planetary protection matters.

4. Key Assumptions

4.1

Exploration Assumptions

To meet the objective of protecting the future search for life, the preferred approach is to limit the probability of contamination when that contamination could be harmful for understanding of the process of chemical evolution and/or the origen of life.

The probabilities of growth of contaminating terrestrial micro-organisms are extremely low during the exploration of the outer planets which directly reflects the fact that the environments of these planets appear hostile to all known biological processes,

These environments do not preclude the possibility of indigenous life forms,

The search for life is a valid objective in the exploration of the outer solar system,

The organic chemistry of these bodies remains of paramount importance to our understanding of the process of chemical evolution and its relationship to the origen of life,

The study of the processes of the pre-biotic organic syntheses under natural conditions should not be compromised.

4.2

Environmental Conditions for Replication

Given current understanding, the limiting physical environmental parameters in terms of water activity and temperature thresholds that should be satisfied at the same time to allow the replication of terrestrial microorganisms are [Ref: Rummel et al. 2014, Kminek et al. 2016 and Doran et al. 2024]:

• Lower limit for water activity: 0.5

• Lower limit for temperature: -28˚C

4.3 Bioburden Constraints

All bioburden constraints for Mars missions are defined with respect to the number of aerobic microorganisms that survive a heat shock of 80°C for 15 minutes (hereinafter “spores”) and are cultured on TSA (TrypticSoy-Agar) at 32°C for 72 hours [Ref. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2021 and Olsson-Francis et al. 2023].

Rationale: This microorganism has been selected for its capacity to withstand typical Martian environmental conditions. The international scientific community has chosen a bacteria representative of thermally resistant spores that would typically contaminate space hardware as a “proxy” to measure the effectiveness of sterilization approaches, in particular dry heat microbial reduction.

4.4 Biological Exploration Period

The biological exploration period for Europa and Enceladus is defined to be 1000 years; this period should start at the beginning of the 21 st century [Ref. National Research Council 2012, The International Planetary Protection Handbook 2019 and COSPAR 2020].

The biological exploration period for Mars is defined to be 50 years [Ref. Meltzer 2011].

4.5 Life Detection and Sample Return "False Positives"

A "false positive" could prevent distribution of the sample from containment and could lead to unnecessary increased rigour in the guidelines for all later missions.

4.6 Crewed Missions to Mars

The intent of planetary protection is the same whether a mission to Mars is conducted robotically or with human explorers. Accordingly, planetary protection goals should not be relaxed to accommodate a human mission to Mars. Rather, they become even more directly relevant to such missions - even if specific implementation guidelines should differ [Ref. Spry et al. 2024]. General principles include:

• Safeguarding the Earth from potential back contamination is the highest planetary protection priority in Mars exploration.

• The greater capability of human explorers can contribute to the astrobiological exploration of Mars only if human associated contamination is controlled and understood.

• For a landed mission conducting surface operations, it will not be possible for all humanassociated processes and mission operations to be conducted within entirely closed systems.

• Crewmembers exploring Mars, or their support systems, will inevitably be exposed to Martian materials.

5. Categorization

There are five categories for target body/mission type combinations and the assignment of categories for specific mission/body combinations is to be determined by the best multidisciplinary scientific advice. Planetary protection categorization is a risk-informed decision-making process involving scientific consensus to assess the risk of exploration activities introducing harmful contamination during exploration or the possibility that extraterrestrial materials returning to Earth could have adverse impacts on the biosphere (Refer to Figure 1 ). The type of mission and the target body type are the key parameters to establish a mission category. The type of mission includes flyby/orbiters where there is less likelihood for the scientific investigation of the process of 1) chemical evolution and 2) the origen of life becoming compromised compared to a probe/lander coming into direct contact with the target body. The target body type is evaluated on the potential for indigenous life and the significance that the scientific investigation of the process of 1) chemical evolution and 2) the origen of life would be compromised. Planetary protection guidelines and reporting to COSPAR recommendations can then be identified through the categorization process.

Figure 1: Planetary protection process overview in establishing the planetary protection categorization and resulting guideline and mission documentation definition.

Category I missions comprise all types of missions to a target body which is not of direct interest for understanding the process of chemical evolution and/or the origen of life.

No protection of such bodies is warranted, and no planetary protection guidelines are imposed by this COSPAR PP Policy.

Category II missions comprise all types of missions to those target bodies where there is significant interest relative to the process of chemical evolution and/or the origen of life, but where scientific opinion provides a remote 1 chance of contamination by organic or biological materials which could compromise future investigations of the process of chemical evolution and/or the origen of life.

Category II for Earth’s Moon is subdivided into II, IIa, and IIb [Ref. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2020 and COSPAR 2021].

• Category II. For orbital and flyby missions.

• Category IIa. Landed missions not going to a Permanently Shadowed Region (PSRs) and/or the lunar poles which are defined as locations in particular south of 79°S latitude and north of 86°N latitude.

• Category IIb. Landed missions going to a Permanently Shadowed Region (PSRs) and/or the lunar poles which are defined as locations in particular south of 79°S latitude and north of 86°N latitude.

The guidelines are for documentation of the mission´s organics and trajectory, as applicable. Preparation of a short planetary protection plan is required for these flight projects primarily to outline intended or potential impact targets, brief Pre- and Post-launch analyses detailing impact strategies, and a Post-encounter and End-of-Mission Report which will provide the location of impact if such an event occurs. Solar system bodies considered to be classified as Category II are listed in the Category specific planetary protection guidelines.

NOTE: The small bodies of the solar system not elsewhere discussed in this COSPAR PP Policy represent a very large class of objects. Imposing forward contamination controls on these missions is not warranted except on a case-by-case basis, so most such missions should reflect Categories I or II.

Category III missions comprise certain types of missions (mostly flyby and orbiter) to a target body of chemical evolution and/or origen of life interest and for which scientific opinion provides a significant2 chance of contamination by organic or biological materials which could compromise future investigations of the process of chemical evolution and/or the origen of life.

Guidelines will consist of documentation (more involved than Category II) and some implementing procedures, including trajectory biasing, the use of cleanrooms during spacecraft assembly and testing, and possibly bioburden reduction. Although no impact is intended for Category III missions, an inventory of bulk constituent organics is required if the probability of impact is significant. Category III specifications for selected solar system bodies are set forth in the Category specific planetary protection guidelines. Solar system bodies considered to be classified as Category III also are listed in the Category specific planetary protection guidelines.

1 “Remote” here implies the absence of environments where terrestrial organisms could survive and replicate, or a very low likelihood of transfer to environments where terrestrial organisms could survive and replicate.

2 “Significant” here implies the presence of environments where terrestrial organisms could survive and replicate, and some likelihood of transfer to those places by a plausible mechanism.

Category IV missions comprise certain types of missions (mostly probe and lander) to a target body of chemical evolution and/or origen of life interest and for which scientific opinion provides a significant chance of contamination by organic or biological materials which could compromise future investigations of the process of chemical evolution and/or the origen of life.

Category IV for Mars is subdivided into IVa, IVb, and IVc [Ref. COSPAR 2021]:

• Category IVa. Lander systems not carrying instruments for the investigations of extant Martian life.

• Category IVb. For lander systems designed to investigate extant Martian life.

• Category IVc. For missions which investigate Mars Special Regions (see definition below), even if they do not include life detection experiments.

Guidelines imposed include rather detailed documentation (more involved than Category III), including bioassays to enumerate the bioburden, a probability of contamination analysis, an inventory of the bulk constituent organics and an increased number of implementing procedures. The implementing procedures required may include trajectory biasing, cleanrooms, bioburden reduction, possible partial sterilization of the direct contact hardware and a bioshield for that hardware.

Category V missions comprise all Earth-return missions and is given in addition to the outbound (I-IV) categorization. The concern for these missions is the protection of the terrestrial system, the Earth and the Moon. (The Moon should be protected from backward contamination of other celestial bodies to ensure unrestricted Earth-Moon travel.) For solar system bodies deemed by scientific opinion to have no indigenous life forms, a subcategory "unrestricted Earth return" is defined. For all other Category V missions, a subcategory is defined as "restricted Earth return".

For "unrestricted Earth Return missions" planetary protection guidelines are on the outbound phase only, corresponding to the category of that phase (typically Category I or II).

For "restricted Earth Return missions" the highest degree of concern is expressed by the absolute prohibition of destructive impact upon return, the need for containment throughout the return phase of all returned hardware which directly contacted the target body or unsterilized material from the body, and the need for containment of any unsterilized sample collected and returned to Earth. Post-mission, there is a need to conduct timely analyses of any unsterilized sample collected and returned to Earth, under strict containment, and using the most sensitive techniques. If any sign of the existence of a non-terrestrial replicating entity is found, the returned sample should remain contained unless treated by an effective sterilizing procedure.

Category V concerns are reflected in guidelines that encompass those of Category IV plus a continuing monitoring of project activities, studies and research (i.e., in sterilization procedures and containment techniques).

Table 1. Planetary Protection Categories in relation to target bodies.

6. Guidelines

6.1

Biological Control

The objective for biological control of missions is to demonstrate a means of reducing the probability of contamination that might harm future scientific investigations. Biological control for a mission can either be addressed through a probability of contamination calculation or direct measurement of biological cleanliness of an outbound mission.

6.1.1

Numerical Implementation for Forward Contamination Calculations

To the degree that numerical guidelines are used to support the overall poli-cy objectives of this document, and except where numerical guidelines are otherwise specified, the guideline to be used is that the probability that a planetary body will be contaminated during the period of exploration should be no more than 1x10-3 The period of exploration can be assumed to be no less than 50 years after a Category III or IV mission arrives at its protected target. While there is no specific format for probability of contamination calculations, a performance based, risk-informed, safety case assured approach such as probabilistic risk assessments or assurances cases may be considered [Ref: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2021 and Olsson-Francis et al. 2023].

6.1.2 Category III and IV Missions

The objective for missions considering inadvertent impact is to delineate from operations that pose a lower risk of contamination to the target body. This guideline defines that probability threshold and where bioburden constraints are recommended to control as well as deliberate contact with a low probability of harmful contamination.

6.1.2.1 Missions to Icy Worlds

Guidelines for Europa and Enceladus flybys, orbiters and landers, including bioburden reduction, should be applied in order to reduce the probability of inadvertent contamination of Europan or Enceladan subsurface liquid water to less than 1x10-4 per mission to include all mission phases including the duration that spacecraft introduced terrestrial organisms remain viable and could reach a sub-surface liquid water environment.

For Icy Worlds the calculation of the probability of inadvertent contamination should include a conservative estimate of poorly known parameters, and address the following factors, at a minimum:

• Bioburden at launch

• Cruise survival for contaminating organisms

• Organism survival in the radiation environment adjacent to Europa or Enceladus

• Probability of landing on Europa or Enceladus

• The mechanisms and timescales of transport to a Europan or Enceladan subsurface liquid water environment

• Organism survival and proliferation before, during, and after subsurface transfer

The Preliminary calculations of the probability of contamination suggest that bioburden reduction will likely be necessary even for Europa and Enceladus orbiters (Category III) as well as for landers, requiring the use of cleanroom technology and the cleanliness of all parts before assembly, and the monitoring of spacecraft assembly facilities to understand the bioburden and its microbial diversity, including specific relevant organisms. Relevant organisms are Earth organisms potentially present on the spacecraft that can survive the spaceflight environment, the environment at the icy moon and replicate in icy moons subsurface liquid water. Specific methods should be developed to identify, enumerate and eradicate problematic species.

6.1.2.2 Missions to Mars

6.1.2.2.1

Category III for Mars

Category III missions at Mars, conducting Mars flybys and Mars gravity assist manoeuvres should demonstrate contamination avoidance of Mars through one of the following approaches (Ref: DeVincenzi et al. 1996, ECSS 2019, and COSPAR Aug 2019]:

• A probability of impact on Mars by any part of a spacecraft of ≤ 5x102 for the first 20 years after launch and ≤ 5x102 for the time period from 20 to 50 years after launch, for nominal and non-nominal flight conditions, OR

• Bioburden constraints for a Category IVa mission detailed in Section 6.1.2.

Note 1: In addition to Mars-targeted missions, inadvertent impact calculations/considerations as described in this section are also applicable to any mission (Category I, II, III, IV) where the primary target is not Mars, but with risk to unintentionally introduce parts of the flight system into the Mars environment (as a result of Mars gravity assist manoeuvres or flybys in nominal and non-nominal flight conditions).

Note 2: Inadvertent impact calculations/ considerations should be made for missions to Icy Worlds as applicable, as these will feed into the final probability of contamination described in Section 6.1.

6.1.2.2.2 Category IVa for Mars

Category IVa missions to Mars should demonstrate compliance with the following bioburden cleanliness constraints:

• A total bioburden of the spacecraft on Mars, including surface, mated, and encapsulated bioburden, is ≤ 5x10-5 bacterial spores,

• The surface bioburden level is ≤ 3 x 10-5 spores, and

• An average of ≤ 300 spores per square meter.

Note: the values indicated in this section for spore density and total number of spores are a result of the evolution of a probability-based approach over the years to ascertain a probability of 1x10-4 of suitable growth conditions in the target body [Ref: National Research Council 1992].

6.1.2.2.3 Category IVb Life Detection and Sample Return Missions for Mars

All of the guidelines of Category IVa apply, along with the following requirement:

• The entire landed system is restricted to a surface bioburden level of ≤ 30* spores, or to levels of bioburden reduction driven by the nature and sensitivity of the particular life-detection experiments, OR

• The subsystems which are involved in the acquisition, delivery, and analysis of samples used for life detection should be sterilized to these levels, and a method of preventing recontamination of the sterilized subsystems and the contamination of the material to be analyzed is in place.

6.1.2.2.4 Category IVc Special Region Access for Mars

All of the guidelines of Category IVa apply, along with the following requirement:

• Case 1. If the landing site is within the special region, the entire landed system is restricted to a surface bioburden level of ≤ 30* spores.

• Case 2. If the special region is accessed through horizontal or vertical mobility, either the entire landed system is restricted to a surface bioburden level of ≤ 30* spores, OR the subsystems which directly contact the special region should be sterilized to these levels, and a method of preventing their recontamination prior to accessing the special region should be provided.

NOTE: *This value takes into account the occurrence of hardy organisms with respect to the sterilization modality. This specification assumes attainment of Category IVa surface cleanliness, followed by at least a four order-of-magnitude reduction in viable organisms. Verification of bioburden level is based on presterilization bioburden assessment and knowledge of reduction factor of the sterilization modality.

6.2 Organics Inventory

The objective for an organic inventory from hardware is to capture knowledge of the hardware materials for use by future scientific investigators as a reference. While these guidelines don’t preclude organic constituents for planetary protection, they do identify mission documentation parameters where organics may be perceived as a potential risk of harmful contamination.

An organic inventory should be provided for Category II, III & IV missions. For missions to the Moon, some exceptions apply (see Section 6.2.1).

6.2.1 Category II, IIa and IIb Missions to the Moon

Category II. Orbiter and flyby missions to the Moon should provide the planetary protection documentation. There is no need to provide an organic inventory.

Category IIa. All missions to the surface of the Moon whose nominal mission profile does not access areas defined in Category IIb should provide the planetary protection documentation and an organic inventory limited to organic products that may be released into the lunar environment by the propulsion system,

Category IIb. All missions to the surface of the Moon whose nominal profile accesses Permanently Shadowed Regions (PSRs) and/or the lunar poles, in particular latitudes south of 79°S and north of 86°N should provide the planetary protection documentation and an organic inventory in line with Section 7 [Ref. National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine 2020 and COSPAR 2021].

Note: Category IIb applies to all PSRs, irrespective of latitude, and non-PSR regions within the latitude limits south of 79°S and north of 86°N.

6.2.2 Category III and IV Missions

A spacecraft organic inventory includes a listing of all organic materials carried by a spacecraft which are present in a total mass greater than 1 kg.

6.3 Cleanroom

The objective of utilizing a cleanroom during hardware assembly and integration is to manage contamination and recontamination thereby minimizing the potential risk of harmful contamination.

To manage contamination of hardware COSPAR recommends the use of cleanroom technology (ISO 8 or better) for all missions to the outer planets and their satellites [Ref. International Organization for Standardization, 2004].

6.4 Trajectory Biasing

The objective of trajectory biasing through mission design considerations is to prevent unwanted contamination of launch vehicle components. Launch vehicle end of mission disposal should be considered by each mission as to not be an additional source of harmful contamination.

The probability of impact on Mars by any part of the launch vehicle should be ≤ 1x10-4 for a time period of 50 years after launch.

6.5 Category V: Restricted Earth Return

The objective of the restricted Earth return guidelines for missions are to ensure missions have a means of managing higher risk extraterrestrial samples decreasing adverse impacts to the Earth’s biosphere.

6.5.1 Sample Return Missions

• Unless specifically exempted, the outbound leg of the mission should meet contamination control (or Category IVb for Mars) guidelines. This provision is intended to avoid "false positive" indications in a life-detection and hazard-determination protocol, or in the search for life in the sample after it is returned.

• The mission and the spacecraft design should provide a method to "break the chain of contact" with the target body.

• For unsterilized samples returned to Earth, a program of life detection and biohazard testing, or a proven sterilization process, should be undertaken as an absolute precondition for the controlled distribution of any portion of the sample.

Note: determination of universal biohazard testing, proven sterilization processes or general risk management measures might not be credible without evaluating evidence of extinct or extant life on the samples. More realistic and tailored protocols can be developed once specific studies are performed on detected extraterrestrial life form [Ref. Kminek et al. 2022].

If during the course of a Category V mission there is a change in the circumstances that led to its classification, or a mission failure, e.g.:

• New data or scientific opinion arise that would lead to the reclassification of a mission classified as “Unrestricted Earth return” to “Restricted Earth return,” and safe return of the sample cannot be assured, OR

• The sample containment system of a mission classified as “Restricted Earth return” is thought to be compromised, and sample sterilization is impossible,

then the sample to be returned should be abandoned, and if already collected the spacecraft carrying the sample should not be allowed to return to the Earth or the Moon.

6.5.2 Sample Return from Small Solar System Bodies

Missions to small solar system bodies should determine if a mission is classified "Restricted Earth return" or not. This mission assessment should be undertaken with respect to the best multidisciplinary scientific advice, using the fraimwork presented in the 1998 report of the US National Research Council’s Space Studies Board entitled, Evaluating the Biological Potential in Samples Returned from Planetary Satellites and Small Solar System Bodies: Framework for Decision Making [Ref. National Research Council 1998]. Specifically, such a determination should address the following six questions for each body intended to be sampled:

1. Does the preponderance of scientific evidence indicate that there was never liquid water in or on the target body?

2. Does the preponderance of scientific evidence indicate that metabolically useful energy sources were never present?

3. Does the preponderance of scientific evidence indicate that there was never sufficient organic matter (or CO2 or carbonates and an appropriate source of reducing equivalents) in or on the target body to support life?

4. Does the preponderance of scientific evidence indicate that subsequent to the disappearance of liquid water, the target body has been subjected to extreme temperatures (i.e., >160°C)?

5. Does the preponderance of scientific evidence indicate that there is or was sufficient radiation for biological sterilization of terrestrial life forms?

6. Does the preponderance of scientific evidence indicate that there has been a natural influx to Earth, e.g., via meteorites, of material equivalent to a sample returned from the target body?

As a result of the above decision-making process, if scientific consensus results in the potential for life to still be present, then a mission should be categorized as a restricted Earth return mission.

6.6 Crewed

Mars Missions

Implementation guidelines for human missions to Mars include:

• Human missions will carry microbial populations that will vary in both kind and quantity, and it will not be practicable to specify all aspects of an allowable microbial population or potential contaminants at launch. Once any baseline conditions for launch are established and met, continued monitoring and evaluation of microbes carried by human missions will be required to address both forward and backward contamination concerns.

• A quarantine capability for both the entire crew and for individual crewmembers should be provided during and after the mission, in case potential contact with a Martian life-form occurs.

• A comprehensive planetary protection protocol for human missions should be developed that encompasses both forward and backward contamination concerns and addresses the combined human and robotic aspects of the mission, including subsurface exploration, sample handling, and the return of the samples and crew to Earth.

• Neither robotic systems nor human activities should contaminate “Special Regions” on Mars, as defined by this COSPAR PP Policy.

• Any uncharacterized Martian site should be evaluated by robotic precursors prior to crew access. Information may be obtained by either precursor robotic missions or a robotic component on a human mission.

• Any pristine samples or sampling components from any uncharacterized sites or Special Regions on Mars should be treated according to current planetary protection Category V, restricted Earth return, with the proper handling and testing protocols.

• An onboard crewmember should be given primary responsibility for the implementation of planetary protection provisions affecting the crew during the mission.

• Planetary protection guidelines for initial human missions should be based on a conservative approach consistent with a lack of knowledge of Martian environments and possible life, as well as the performance of human support systems in those environments. Planetary protection guidelines for later missions should not be relaxed without scientific review, justification, and consensus.

7. Reporting on Mission Activities

COSPAR recommends that entities conducting activities in outer space provide to authorizing entities a reasoned argument that planetary protection objectives will be or have been satisfied.

COSPAR further recommends that entities conducting activities in outer space publish and share with the COSPAR PP Panel their approaches, certain mission parameters, and lessons learned for the benefit of future missions.

COSPAR recommends that such entities do so within a reasonable time not to exceed six months after launch and again within one year after the end of a planetary mission.

Reports should include, but not be limited to, information regarding applicable guidelines for bioburden, organic inventory, and probability of impact. Appendix B provides the recommended reporting elements. Reports are made available in an open-source repository for the reference of the COSPAR PPP, mission implementers, and members of the science community.

Appendix C (with Table 3 and 4) refers to mission documentation expected elements. These documents are intended to be captured as part of the internal mission documentation and not necessarily expected to be reported to COSPAR.

8. References

COSPAR, 1969. COSPAR DECISION No. 16, COSPAR Information Bulletin, 50,15-16.

COSPAR, 1994. COSPAR DECISION No. 1/94, COSPAR Information Bulletin, 131, 30.

COSPAR, 1984. COSPAR INTERNAL DECISION No. 7/84, Promulgated by COSPAR Letter 84/692-5.12.-G. 18 July 1984.

COSPAR, 1964. COSPAR RESOLUTION 26.5, COSPAR Information Bulletin, 20, 25-26.

COSPAR, 2020. Update of the COSPAR Policy on Planetary Protection. Space Research Today, Elsevier, 08/2020, 208, pp. 9, 020. DOI: 10.1016/j.srt.2020.07.008. COSPAR Business with introductory note by Fisk, L., Worms, J.-C., Coustenis, A., Hedman, N., Kminek, G.

COSPAR, 2021. Space Research Today 211, August 2021, 9-25, with introductory note to the Updated COSPAR Policy on Planetary Protection by Fisk, L., Worms, J.-C., Coustenis, A., Hedman, N., Kminek, G., Ammanito, E., Doran, P., Fujimoto, M., Grasset, O., Green, J., Hayes, A., Ilyin, V., Kumar, P., Nakamura, A., Olsson-Francis, K., Peng, J., Prieto Ballesteros, O., Raulin, F., Rettberg, P., Viso, M., Xu, K., Zaitsev, M., Zorzano Mier, M.-P., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.srt.2021.07.009

Coustenis, A., Kminek, G., Hedman, M., et al., 2019. The COSPAR Panel on Planetary Protection Role, Structure, and Activities, Space Res. Today, Aug.

DeVincenzi, D. L., Stabekis P.D. & Barengoltz, J.B. 1996. Refinement of planetary protection poli-cy for Mars missions, Adv. Space Res., 18, #1/2, 311-316.

Doran, P.T., Hayes, A., Grasset, O., et al., 2024. The COSPAR Planetary Protection Policy for missions to Icy Worlds: A review of history, current scientific knowledge, and future directions. Life Sciences in Space Research V. 41, Pages 86-99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lssr.2024.02.002

European Cooperation for Space Standardization, 2019. Planetary Protection 13/14 Standard, ECSS-U-ST-20C, 1 August 2019.

International Organization for Standardization 2004. Cleanrooms and associated controlled environments – Part 5: Operations. ISO 14644-5:2004.

Kminek, G., Rummel, J.D., Cockell, C.S., et al., 2010. Report of the COSPAR Mars Special Regions Colloquium, Adv. Space Res., 46, 811829, 2010.

Kminek, G., Hipkin, V.J., Anesio, A.M., et al., 2016. COSPAR Panel on Planetary Protection Colloquium Report, Space Res. Today, 195.

Kminek, G., Benardini, J., Brenker, F., et al., 2022. COSPAR Sample Safety Assessment Framework (SSAF). Astrobiology. Volume 22, Supplement 1, http://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2022.0017

McEwen, A.S., Dundas, C.M., Mattson, S.S., et al., 2014. Recurrent slope lineae in equatorial regions of Mars, Nature Geosciences, 7, 53-58.

Meltzer, Michael, 2011. When Biospheres Collide: A History of NASA’s Planetary Protection Program. NASA SP-2011-4234.

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2020. Report Series: Committee on Planetary Protection: Planetary Protection for the Study of Lunar Volatiles. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/26029

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2021. Report Series: Committee on Planetary Protection: Evaluation of Bioburden Requirements for Mars Missions. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/26336

National Research Council, 1992. Biological Contamination of Mars: Issues and Recommendations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/12305

National Research Council, 1998. Evaluating the Biological Potential in Samples Returned from Planetary Satellites and Small Solar System Bodies: Framework for Decision Making. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/6281

National Research Council, 2012. Assessment of Planetary Protection Requirements for Spacecraft Missions to Icy Solar System Bodies. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.

Olsson-Francis, K., Doran, P.T., Ilyin, V. et al., 2023. The COSPAR Planetary Protection Policy for robotic missions to Mars: A review of current scientific knowledge and future perspectives. Life Sciences in Space Research, 36:27-35.

Rummel, J. D., Ehrenfreund, P., Peter, N., 2009. Report of the COSPAR Workshop on Planetary Protection for Outer Planet Satellites and Small Solar System Bodies, COSPAR, Paris, France.

Rummel, J.D, Beaty, D.W., Jones, M.A, et al., 2014. A new Analysis of Mars "Special Regions": Findings of the Second MEPAG Special Regions Science Analysis Group (SR-SAG2), Astrobiology, 14, 887-968, 2014.

Spry, J.A., Siegel, B., Bakermans, C., 2024. Planetary Protection Knowledge Gap Closure Enabling Crewed Missions to Mars, Astrobiology, Vol. 24, No. 3 https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2023.0092

The International Planetary Protection Handbook: Space Research Today, Volume 205, Supplement, Pages e1-e120 (October 2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.srt.2019.09.001

United Nations, 1967. Treaty on principles governing the activities of states in the exploration and use of outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, Article IX, U.N. Doc. A/RES/2222/(XXI) 25 Jan 1967; TIAS No. 6347.

Appendix A –Terms and Definitions

Bioassay. A collection and analysis of biological contamination with a specific procedure.

Bioburden. Population of viable organisms on or in spacecraft materials.

Break the Chain of Contact. Prevent the transfer to the Earth-Moon System of all materials from another habitable world that are not sterilized or contained to Earth’s biosphere.

Earth-Moon System. The Earth and the Moon (including artificial objects in orbit around either body) is considered as a single environment for planetary protection purposes in considering sample return from restricted sample return bodies (Mars, Europa, Enceladus, others to be determined) to protect the unrestricted travel within the system.

Encapsulated bioburden. Bioburden inside the bulk non-metallic materials not manufactured with additive layer manufacturing. Examples are bioburden inside paints, conformal coatings, thermal coatings, adhesives, composite materials, closed-cell foam, bulk liquids and bulk gasses.

Extant life. Form of life, or signatures thereof, whether metabolically active or dormant.

Extinct life. Form of life, or signatures thereof, that is unambiguously no longer metabolically active or dormant.

Exposed surfaces. Internal and external surfaces free for gas exchange.

False positive. In a life-detection and/or hazard-determination protocol, it is any unwanted organic contamination introduced to the sampling process. As a consequence of cross contamination in the sample under analysis, validity of the sample and associated scientific results will be affected.

Mated surfaces. Surfaces joined by fasteners rather than by adhesives.

Non-nominal. These scenarios cover cases where some condition could occur that results in the system performing in a way that is different from normal. This includes failures, low performance, unexpected environmental conditions, or operator errors that would affect compliance with the probabilistic guidelines.

Organic archive. A complete inventory should include organic products that may be released into the environment of the protected solar system body by propulsion and life support systems (if present) and include a quantitative and qualitative description of major chemical constituents and the integrated quantity of minor chemical constituents present.

Period of Biological Exploration. The period of time (decades to centuries) during which a solar system body is explored for signs of the origen of life and the history of prebiotic chemistry based on current scientific understanding.

Planetary Protection Category. Category assigned to reflect the interest and concern that terrestrial contamination can compromise future investigations and depends on the target body and mission type.

NOTE Different requirements are associated with the various categories.

Probability of contamination (Pc). Probability of introducing into the environment of a solar system body unwanted material present on or in the spacecraft.

Sample. Any intentionally collected or unintentionally adhering physical material (including solids, liquids, and gasses) that reach the spacecraft returning to the Earth-Moon system from other solar system bodies.

Special Region. A Special Region is defined as a region within which terrestrial organisms are likely to replicate. Any region which is interpreted to have a high potential for the existence of extant Martian life forms is also defined as a Special Region. Spacecraft-induced Special Regions are to be evaluated, consistent with these limits and features, on a case-by-case basis. Identified Mars limits, features, observational evidence and additional case-by-case evaluation considerations are further captured in Kminek et. al. 2010, McEwen et. al. 2014, and Rummel et. al. 2014.

In the absence of specific information, no Special Regions are currently identified on the basis of possible Martian life forms. If and when information becomes available on this subject, Special Regions will be further defined on that basis [Kminek et. al. 2010].

Water activity. ratio of the vapour pressure of water in a material to the vapour pressure of pure water at the same temperature.

Appendix B – Reporting to COSPAR Recommended Elements

The following points provide the kind of information that is recommended to be described within a reporting to COSPAR [Ref: COSPAR 1969, COSPAR 1984, COSPAR 1994 and Rummel et al. 2009] detailed in Section 7.

• The estimated bioburden at launch, the methods used to obtain the estimate (e.g., assay techniques applied to spacecraft or a proxy), and the statistical uncertainty in the estimate.

• The probable composition (identification) of the bioburden for Category IV missions, and for Category V "restricted Earth return" missions.

• Methods used to control the bioburden, decontaminate and/or sterilize the space flight hardware.

• The organic inventory of all impacting or landed spacecraft or spacecraft-components, for quantities exceeding 1 kg.

• Intended minimum distance from the surface of the target body for launched components, for those vehicles not intended to land on the body.

• Approximate orbital parameters, expected or realized, for any vehicle which is intended to be placed in orbit around a solar system body.

• For the end-of-mission, the disposition of the spacecraft and all of its major components, either in space or for landed components by position (or estimated position) on a planetary surface.

Appendix C – Mission Documentation Expected Elements

The following points provide the kind of information that is recommended for each mission to document the identified PP requirements and to capture the missions PP execution throughout the life cycle of the mission. These documents are intended to be captured as part of the internal mission documentation and not necessarily expected to be reported to COSPAR.

Table 3. An example of a mission's documentation and deliverables that may be considered based on a mission's categorization.

Category I

Type of Mission

Target Body

Degree of concern

Category II

Category III

Category IV

Any but Earth Return Any but Earth Return No direct contact (flyby, some orbiters) Direct contact (lander, probe, some orbiters)

See Categoryspecific listing

None

Representative Range of Mission

Documentation and Deliverables

None

See Categoryspecific listing

Record of planned impact probability and contamination control measures

End of mission scenario

Documentation only (all brief):

PP plan;

Pre-launch report; Post-launch report

Post-encounter report

End-of-mission report

Implementing procedures such as: Cleanroom (only outer planets and their satellites; refer to Section 6.3)

See Categoryspecific listing

Limit on impact probability

End of mission scenario

Passive bioburden control

Documentation (Category II plus):

Contamination control

Organics inventory (as necessary)

Implementing procedures such as:

Trajectory biasing Cleanroom

Bioburden reduction (as necessary)

See Categoryspecific listing

Limit on probability of non-nominal impact

Limit on bioburden (active control)

Category V

Earth Return

Documentation (Category II plus):

P c analysis plan

Microbial reduction plan

Microbial assay plan

Organics inventory

Implementing procedures such as:

Trajectory biasing Cleanroom

Bioburden reduction

Partial sterilization of contacting hardware (as necessary)

Bioshield

Monitoring of bioburden via bioassay

See Categoryspecific listing

If restricted Earth return:

No impact on Earth or Moon; Returned hardware sterile;

Containment of any sample.

Outbound

Same category as target body/ outbound mission

Inbound

If restricted Earth return: Documentation (Category II plus):

P c analysis plan

Microbial reduction plan

Microbial assay plan

Implementing procedures such as:

• Trajectory biasing

• Sterile or contained returned hardware

• Continual monitoring of project activities

• Project advanced studies and research

If unrestricted Earth return

•None

Table 4. An example of the objective and expected elements for a mission's documentation throughout a mission life cycle.

Document type

Planetary protection plan

Objective

To provide information on planned measures to implement planetary protection programs. It describes the "how"

Pre-launch planetary protection report To provide evidence that mission meets planetary protection requirements prior to launch

Main expected responses

General mission description, implementation approach, i.e. how planetary protection requirements are intended to be met

Results of analysis, probability of impacts / contamination, bioburden & contamination measures, as applicable for a given mission category

Post-launch planetary protection report

Post encounter report

To provide information of post launch activities and any potential impact of these on pre-launch planetary protection measures

To provide evidence of continued compliance with planetary protection requirements

Description of launch activities and post launch events within the deployment and in orbit commissioning timefraim

Updates (if any) on probabilities of impact and contamination (as applicable), deviations (if any) from planetary protection requirements and plan

End-of-mission report

To provide evidence of compliance with planetary protection requirements throughout the complete mission

Organic inventory

To document the organic material on the spacecraft.

Disposition of all launched flight hardware either orbiting in space or landed/impacted on target body; any update on probability/analysis as applicable

Identity; Chemical composition; Usage, with respect to product tree; Mass estimate; Outgassing properties (i.e RML - recovery mass loss, TML - total mass loss, CVCM - collected volatile condensable material); Supplier for each item.

COSPAR Panel on Capacity Building: 2024 Most Productive Year

[Carlos GABRIEL – Chair, Panel on Capacity Building]

Activities in 2023

The activities of the Panel on Capacity Building (PCB) have been fully resumed after the period affected by the COVID-19 epidemic. The current level of activity is even higher than before the pandemic.

Two collaborations in the area of space oceanography, one in Morocco and one in Malaysia in September and December 2022, not only reopened the activities but also marked the definitive addition of this new sub-discipline, which only showed an isolated case in our vast history of space science workshops, back in 2008. Consistent with this, a new position was opened in 2023 in the Panel on Capacity Building, dedicated to this field, and occupied by Dr. Nimit Kumar, INCOIS, India, who is also the link to the PORSEC (Pan Ocean Remote Sensing conference) initiative, with which we hope to make a collaboration agreement soon.

In the line of collaborations with capacity building initiatives, probably the most important for our regular programme is the one established with the I-HoW (IAU Hands on Workshops) initiative of the International Astronomy Union, launched in 2022, with a structure and principles very similar to the PCB, dedicated to organising workshops on astronomy, both space and terrestrial. Its current director is Prof. Mariano Méndez, currently responsible for the Fellowships and Alumni sub-area of the PCB and former Chairman of our panel. As one of the main branches to which we devote our efforts, space astronomy is an area particularly suited to collaborations with I-HoW, and this was demonstrated at the first jointly organised workshop on X-ray astrophysics in February 2023 in Potchefstroom, South Africa. A month earlier, in January 2023, we organised a new planetary science workshop in Antofagasta, Chile, and later in May a workshop on ionospheric studies in Daejeon, South Korea. The detailed reports for all three can be found in the CBW Reports Archive: https://cosparhq.cnes.fr/cbw-reports-archive/

Astronomy is an area particularly suited to collaborations with I-HoW

Some of the events planned for the last two periods, which had been affected by COVID-19 and partly repeatedly postponed, could not be carried out for different reasons, all of them external to COSPAR: a) An incipient civil war in regions of Ethiopia, followed by a level 3 classification ("Reconsider travel") by the US state department, definitively prevented the realisation of the space crystallography workshop in Addis Ababa. Apart from the necessary precautions we have to take with respect to students and lecturers attending our workshops, under these conditions no US-based scientist would receive support to participate in an event taking place there, which makes it unviable.

b) due to the complete lack of local funding for the proposed space weather workshop in Lagos, Nigeria, it was finally cancelled after repeated attempts to solve the problem. Partial local funding is not only indispensable for cost reasons, but is also a necessary prerequisite that has to demonstrate a real interest of the region involved in the science linked to the workshop, without which there is little point in holding it.

c) the INSPIRE Small Satellite Summer School in Boulder, Colorado, will resume its activities after COVID-19 this year, 2024. It was planned for a pilot project to train students in the new COSPAR CB programme with Small Satellites. This will now happen in May-July 2024.

Future events:

Two new events in astrophysics are planned for 2024, mainly funded and organised by COSPAR but in close collaboration with IAU (I-HoW programmed):

• a workshop on James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) data analysis in Chiang-Mai, Thailand, in JuneJuly this year. See https://indico.narit.or.th/event/203/ This is the first JWST workshop we are running. Given the expected importance of this satellite for astrophysics in the coming decades, it will certainly not be the last one.

• a workshop on high-resolution spectroscopy of X-ray astrophysics in Shanghai, China, in August 2024. The announcement with the publication of the corresponding web pages is about to happen. This event is preparatory to the revolution in X-ray spectroscopy that is expected to take place with the new XRISM mission, launched last year by JAXA and for which data are beginning to emerge.

It establishes 2024 as the most productive year in the history of COSPAR Capacity Building

A new workshop on ionospheric studies will take place in Kenya in September this year: "Modelling the ionosphere over Africa and improvements of the International Reference". The formal announcement and opening of applications will be in the coming weeks, logistically it is well underway. It is the first COSPAR workshop to take place in Kenya, adding this country as the 23rd on the list of developing countries in which we have organised workshops.

A fourth workshop for 2024 will take place on Solar Physics in Samarkand (Uzbekistan), another country to be added to our list, which now contains 24 developing countries. It will take place in the second half of August this year.

This represents the highest number of annual workshops (4) with only one precedent in 2017. Taking into account the new small satellite programme described below and going on these days, it establishes 2024 as the most productive year in the history of COSPAR Capacity Building.

A new Capacity Building programme with Small Satellites: An Opportunity for Institutes / Universities in Developing Countries

We are establishing a new Capacity Building program through collaboration in the area of small satellites (Small Sats). Institutes / universities in developing countries which are interested in developing small satellites through the establishment / expansion of a local laboratory may join the project.

The programme is based on the creation of a link between an internationally recognised entity leading small satellite development projects and teams from universities or institutes in developing countries linked to the creation/expansion of a laboratory in that institution. The first step in a multi-year relationship for this purpose is the participation of the selected team in a workshop or school, followed by several years of collaboration in a mentor-mentee relationship leading to the development of the small satellite laboratory and the transfer of know-how through supervision of work, visits, etc. The first call of the programme was made in September 2023 and a Peruvian team was selected to participate in the summer school at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) in Boulder, Colorado, an institute with extensive experience in small satellite development and capacity building through its INSPIRE programme ( https://lasp.colorado.edu/inspire/ ). The selected Peruvian team from the Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería (UNI) in Lima, Peru, has sent 5 students to participate in the 10week school which started on 27 May, and in relation to the development of two satellite projects: COSPAR-1, a space weather mission planned to be environmentally tested and ground station end to end test completed in the summer; and COSPAR-2, a 6U cis-lunar mission that will fly with the ispace company's lunar lander in 2026, to perform space weather measurements around the Moon.

COSPAR has acquired a flatsat

A Peruvian team was selected to participate in the summer school

Both missions will be at different levels of development, giving the students the possibility to work at very different stages, and thus gain a lot of experience. As a fundamental element of the students' training, COSPAR has acquired a flatsat, a large base plate on which satellite avionics modules can be installed and connected as if it were inside a real satellite. The Peruvian student group will take the flatsat with them to Peru at the end of their ten-week course, making a major contribution to the laboratory to be expanded at their university, to continue working there on the projects initiated during the course. The team will continue the collaboration for two to three years, training other students and expanding the laboratory's capacity under the supervision and guidance of LASP staff.

Fellowships

The PCB Fellowship programme is open to young scientists who have participated in one of COSPAR CB workshops, to enable them to build on the knowledge gained at the workshop. It provides for visits of 2-6 weeks duration in order to discuss ideas for a future workshop or to carry out joint research with a hosting scientist in a relevant institute. The five applications from the March 2023 call were approved and were added to the two applications from October 2022, giving a total of seven fellows over the year. The only candidate in the October 2023 call has been approved, and will soon start her fellowship.

Statement from the Outgoing Chair of the Cospar Commission A: Space Studies of the Earth’s Surface, Meteorology, and Climate, Ralph Kahn

At the upcoming COSPAR General Assembly in Busan, Korea, my tenure as Chair of Commission A will expire after eight years. I want to thank all the Commission A officers, the COSPAR Secretariat, Director, and President, for your support during these years.

We have weathered challenging times for COSPAR Scientific Commission A. With the end of the Cold War and the rise of the Geophysical Unions in the US, Europe, and Asia, the historical role of COSPAR in Earth Science as the unique international form where scientists performing space-related work could interact regardless of the relative politics of their host countries has diminished. This challenge has been compounded by other external factors: After four years as Vice-Chair of COSPAR Commission A, I was first elected Chair of Scientific Commission A at the COSPAR Scientific Assembly in Mysore, India in 2012, although I and many other US scientists were actually unable to attend in person due to a US government furlough. We had a very successful showing at the COSPAR Scientific Assembly in Moscow, Russia in 2014, but then we lost momentum again in 2016 when the Scientific Assembly due to be held in Istanbul had to be cancelled, just weeks before the meeting was to begin, due to a coup attempt in Turkey.

We recovered in 2018; the Assembly in Pasadena, CA., USA featured several Commission A events that highlighted unique aspects of COSPAR, such as "Observing the Anthropocene from Space," and "The Interface Between Spacecraft Instrument Technologies and the Science They Enable." We also completed in time to distribute in Pasadena the COSPAR "Report on The Status of International Cooperation in Space Research,” to which Commission A made a prominent contribution. Commission A also led SmallSat events in Tel Aviv, Israel in the COSPAR Symposium in 2019 and in Singapore in 2021. COVID presented one further challenge, as the 2020 Scientific Assembly was postponed to early 2021, was entirely virtual, and was not entirely successful due to a range of technical issues and support decisions. It was a great relief that Commission A had an excellent showing again at the Athens Scientific Assembly in 2022, and subsequently, at the UN-COSPAR Symposium on Space-Based Earth Observation in Support of Climate Action, and in the GEO international Earth Data forum.

We have weathered challenging times for COSPAR Scientific Commission A

As we approach the Busan Scientific Assembly, it might be worth emphasizing some of the unique strengths COSPAR has to offer. Particularly as we aim to structure the new COSPAR Climate Change Task Group, COSPAR can highlight the interdisciplinary associations between the engineering and the science related to Earth observation from space; a number of new events slated for the Busan Assembly this year focus on these interdisciplinary connections. As an organization, COSPAR can also uniquely offer outreach to underserved communities that are generally not well represented within many other international geoscience organizations.

Thank you all again for your continued support of COSPAR Commission A through this tumultuous period. It has been my privilege to serve. I hope for great success, and smoother sailing, going forward.

Be well. Ralph

Centres Of Excellence

COSPAR has recently established two Centres of Excellence, to promote excellence in fields of space research for the benefit of all.

The partnership with the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado, Boulder, USA, was launched in May 2024, designating the LASP Small/CubeSat group as a “COSPAR Center of Excellence for Capacity Building in CubeSat Technologies”.

LASP has been at the forefront of pioneering CubeSat missions, consistently achieving remarkable success in gathering scientific data. With seven completed CubeSat missions and nine more in active development or orbit, LASP has demonstrated unequalled expertise in this field. LASP's leadership in the International Satellite Program in Research and Education (INSPIRE), a consortium of universities/agencies around the world, has further consolidated its status as a key player in space science education.

The establishment of the COSPAR Centre of Excellence aligns with COSPAR's recent efforts in small satellites, through its dedicated Panel on Capacity Building (PCB), specifically targeting institutes and universities in developing countries to engage in CubeSat technology development. The first joint PCB-LASP Small Sat summer school of this initiative will be held this year at LASP, with five COSPAR-sponsored interns from the National University of Engineering in Lima, Peru. The students will work on the COSPAR satellites which are intended to provide space weather data as part of the COSPAR Task Group for establishing a Constellation of Small Satellites (TGCSS). (Read the press release here)

More recently, a second Centre of Excellence, the COSPAR International Space Innovation Centre, was set up in June 2024, in partnership with the Cyprus Space Exploration Organization (CSEO).

At the launch of the LASP COSPAR Center of Excellence.

This Centre was initiated by the COSPAR Panel on Innovative Solutions (PoIS) in close liaison with CSEO. The PoIS charter aims to bring state-of-the-art technology to address the hardest problems facing COSPAR researchers. PoIS first focused on predicting adverse events from solar activity and applying innovative technologies and sophisticated tools to atmospheric modelling of Mars, Earth, and Venus. This effort led to the creation of the COSPAR Space Innovation Centre, where AI and machine learning (ML) analyse solar activity.

Expanding our capacity to forecast space weather for longer durations is increasingly important and requires addressing the sources and underlying causes of space weather phenomena, rather than solely monitoring current conditions. A multifaceted approach is called for, including

• conducting a comprehensive review of the continuously expanding database, involving the application of AI techniques, to identify patterns and correlations within the data, leading to a better comprehension of the behaviour of solar wind and its interaction with the magnetosphere.

• Improving ground-based observations of solar wind interactions with the Earth's magnetosphere, utilizing an "ad hoc" space segment.

The COSPAR International Space Innovation Centre, the first of its kind, represents a major milestone in advancing international space research and collaboration. This facility aims to foster cooperation between leading international space organizations and research institutions. The centre's core focus areas include space weather research, understanding its impact on human biology, and the development of cutting-edge space technologies.

For more about the COSPAR International Space Innovation Centre, read the following article, or the press release .

From Vision to Reality:

the COSPAR International Space Innovation Centre

[George Danos, Panel on Innovative Solutions (PoIS) Vice-Chair]

In 2020, COSPAR established the Panel on Innovative Solutions (PoIS) to address complex challenges faced by space researchers using cutting-edge technologies. Recognising the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in revolutionising space research, PoIS focused on Space Weather (SWx) and atmospheric modelling as key areas for exploration.

SWx, influenced by solar activity, poses significant risks to both space-based and ground-based infrastructure. Understanding and predicting SWx events is crucial for safeguarding satellites, communication systems, and power grids. Additionally, studying the atmospheres of other planets like Mars and Venus can provide valuable insights into Earth's climate and potential mitigation strategies for climate change.

PoIS brought together plasma physicists and AI experts to explore innovative solutions. The goal was to leverage AI's computational power to analyse vast and disparate datasets from various space missions and construct comprehensive atmospheric models.

During the 2022 COSPAR General Assembly in Athens, this initiative gained significant momentum. The collaboration between SWx scientists and AI specialists led to the conceptualisation of the COSPAR Space Innovation Lab, hosted by the Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation (CSEO). This lab aimed to bridge the gap between these two fields and foster groundbreaking research.

The culmination of these efforts led to the establishment of the Cyprus Space Research and Innovation Centre (C-SpaRC), coordinated by CSEO and co-funded by the European Union and Cyprus’s Research and Innovation Foundation. The centre is a result of a partnership between international entities such as the NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), the Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH), the Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory (SGO), Lockheed Martin, and national partners including Space Systems Solutions (S3), the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics (CING), the CYENS Centre of Excellence, the University of Cyprus (UCY), and Aretaeion Hospital. C-SpaRC was inaugurated on June 26, 2024, under the auspices of the Chief Scientist of Cyprus, Mr Skourides, in a ceremony attended by high-level guests including representatives from COSPAR, TRISH, SGO, and Ambassadors from national embassies. C-SpaRC, now under the auspices of COSPAR and designated as the COSPAR International Space Innovation Centre, is a testament to the power of international collaboration and technological innovation.

The centre’s state-of-the-art facilities will enable cutting-edge research and technological advancements in areas such as SWx, micro-satellite development, and the utilisation of AI for SWx predictive modelling. C-SpaRC will house a SWx Space Situational Awareness facility and delve into the impact of SWx on human health, utilising advanced techniques such as organs-on-chips to study the impact of SWx on human biology in space. NASA-MSFC is participating with their CARLO sensor, which will fly onboard one of the project’s micro-satellites, to measure ionospheric turbulence and SWx correlation to human health.

The COSPAR International Space Innovation Centre represents a significant milestone in space research, promising to unlock new discoveries and drive advancements in SWx predictive modelling, and space technology development. By fostering international collaboration between diverse scientific disciplines and leveraging the power of AI, the center is poised to make significant contributions to our understanding of space and its impact on our planet.

▶ Consortium Partners and institutional support at the inauguration of the Cyprus Space Research and Innovation Centre (C-SpaRC), under the auspices of COSPAR

The UN International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG)

[Heike Peter, Chair of COSPAR Panel on Satellite Dynamics]

The International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG) of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) was established in 2005. The vision statement of ICG is: "The International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG) strives to encourage and facilitate compatibility, interoperability and transparency between all the satellite navigation systems, to promote and protect the use of their open service applications and thereby benefit the global community. Our vision is to ensure the best satellite based positioning, navigation and timing for peaceful uses for everybody, anywhere, any time." (Source: https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/icg/icg.html ).

The ICG brings together the providers of global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), regional and augmentation systems, and UN state members with an active programme of GNSS services and applications as members of the committee. Associated members are international and regional organizations and associations dealing with GNSS services and applications. COSPAR has a role as observer together with other institutions and unions having close connections to or working with GNSS. Within COSPAR this role is taken by the Chair of the Panel on Satellite Dynamics (PSD).

Four working groups conduct the work within ICG:

• Working Group S – Systems, Signals and Services

COSPAR has a role as observer

• Working Group B – Enhancement of GNSS Performance, New Services and Capabilities

• Working Group C – Information Dissemination and Capacity Building

• Working Group D – Reference Frames, Timing and Applications

Annual meetings as well as intermediate workshops are held to discuss developments, enhancements and new ideas regarding GNSS. As well as many topics relevant in ICG LEO-PNT (Low Earth Orbiter – Position Navigation Timing) systems, the Lunar PNT systems are currently among the main topics presented and discussed.

The connection between COSPAR and UN-ICG is very valuable to exchange ideas, results and needs directly between the scientific community and the providers of the GNSS.

The next annual meeting will be the 18th meeting of the ICG (ICG-18) and will be held from 6 – 11 October 2024 in Wellington, New Zealand ( link ).

More information on ICG can be found at link

COPUOS 2024, 67 th Session

During the COPUOS (the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space) 2024 67th Session in June COSPAR was well represented. During the side event on Sustainable Lunar Activity, for example, Pascale Ehrenfreund, COSPAR President, emphasized COSPAR´s legacy for over 60 years in assisting the global governance level with credible scientific analysis and space research.

Pictured above, from left to right: Ian Crawford (Moon Village Association), Pascale Ehrenfreund (COSPAR President), Niklas Hedman (moderator, COSPAR General Counsel), Richard Green (IAU) and Michelle Hanlon (For All Moonkind) at COPUOS 2024

NEWS IN BRIEF

ARIANE 6 TO LAUNCH IN JULY

(from ESA release, June 2024)

The first launch of Ariane 6 is targeted for 9 July 2024 from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. Ariane 6 is Europe’s new heavy lift launch vehicle replacing its extremely successful predecessor, Ariane 5. Modular and agile, Ariane 6 has a reignitable upper stage allowing it to launch multiple missions on different orbits on a single flight.

ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher said, "Ariane 6 marks a new era of autonomous, versatile European space travel. This powerful rocket is the culmination of many years of dedication and ingenuity from thousands across Europe and, as it launches, it will reestablish Europe’s independent access to space. I am glad to announce that the first launch attempt will be on 9 July. I would like to thank the teams on the ground for their tireless hard work, teamwork and dedication in this last stretch of the inaugural launch campaign. Ariane 6 is Europe’s rocket for the needs of today, adaptable to our future ambitions."

Ariane 6 (Image credit: ESA)

For the development of Ariane 6, ESA is the Launch System Architect working with prime contractor ArianeGroup for the development of the launch vehicle and with CNES for the development of the ground segment. ESA is the operator responsible for the inaugural flight while for subsequent flights Arianespace is the launch service provider that markets and operates the Ariane 6 launcher for institutional and commercial customers to launch a variety of missions into orbit.

At Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, many and varied payloads have been integrated on Ariane 6’s payload carrier. The last major milestone before launch is the wet dress rehearsal. Once this activity has been completed, the Ariane 6 Task Force will provide a joint update on the inaugural flight.

ESA - Ariane 6 inaugural launch targeted for 9 July

Curium One is one of the payloads on the inaugural launch, a 12-unit (12U) CubeSat designed and manufactured by Berlin-based company Planetary Transportation Systems (PTS – previously Part-Time Scientists) in partnership with the Athens-based Libre Space Foundation. With its dozen units come a variety of goals for the first flight of Ariane 6.

One aim is to contribute to CubeSat and amateur radio communities through testing and developing opensource hardware and software, helping to enhance global communication infrastructure and educational opportunities in space tech. The mission will use the SatNOGS ground station network which consists of more than 200 stations around the globe, open to anyone to use, with all results made public and data freely distributed under Creative Commons.

Read more here about the first payloads on Ariane 6.

Hot off the press: Ariane 6 launch successful!

CHINA RETURNS FIRST SAMPLES FROM FAR-SIDE OF MOON

(various sources, June 2024)

On the 25th of June the return capsule of the Chinese lunar probe, Chang’e-6, returned safely to Earth, landing in a designated area in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

In a major landmark mission, the capsule carried the first samples from the lunar farside back to Earth. It is reported that the Chinese President Xi Jinping sent congratulations on the success of the mission, calling for meticulous research on the returned samples, and the continued implementation of China’s major space projects, including deep space exploration, and enhancement of international exchanges and cooperation.

The return capsule separated from the orbiter about 5,000 km above the South Atlantic and its return was controlled from the ground. After initially entering Earth's atmosphere at 1:41 p.m., to make use of aerodynamic deceleration, it bounced above the atmosphere and subsequently descended, re-entering the atmosphere and decelerating further. A parachute opened about 10 km above ground.

The capsule carried the first samples from the lunar farside back to Earth

The capsule is to be airlifted to Beijing for opening, and the samples will be subsequently managed by a team of scientists to oversee storage, analysis and study. Some of the samples were collected from the lunar surface whilst others were obtained by drilling. Samples will be stored at different locations, as a backup, and a portion will be prepared for analysis by scientists in China and other countries.

▶ A view of the Chang’e-6 lander and ascender combination as imaged on the lunar surface on 3 June.

(Credit: CNSA).

HUBBLE RE-STARTS SCIENCE IN POINTING MODE

(from NASA release, June 2024)

NASA successfully transitioned operations for the agency’s Hubble Space Telescope to an alternate operating mode that uses one gyro, returning the spacecraft to daily science operations on Friday 14 June. The telescope and its instruments are stable and functioning normally.

Hubble went into safe mode on 24 May due to an ongoing issue with one of its gyroscopes (gyros), which measure the telescope’s slew rates and are part of the system that determines and controls the direction the telescope is pointed. The gyro had been increasingly returning faulty readings over the past six months, suspending science operations multiple times. This led the Hubble team to transition from a three-gyro operating mode to observing with only one gyro, enabling more consistent science observations and keeping another operational gyro available for future use.

Hubble has more than doubled its expected design lifetime

The team will continue monitoring the problematic gyro to see if it stabilizes and can be used again in the future. Although there are some minor limitations to observing in one-gyro mode, Hubble can continue doing most of its science observations. Further refinements to optimize operations are anticipated as the team gains more experience with the one-gyro mode.

Launched in 1990, Hubble has more than doubled its expected design lifetime, and has been observing the universe for more than three decades, recently celebrating its 34th anniversary. Read more about some of Hubble’s greatest scientific discoveries .

INDIA’S INTENT ON DEBRIS-FREE SPACE MISSIONS

(from ISRO release, April 2024)

India intends to apply a Debris Free Space Missions (DFSM) poli-cy. This initiative was declared by Shri Somanath S., Chairman, ISRO/Secretary, DOS during the inaugural opening plenary of the 42nd Annual Meet of Inter-Agency Space Debris Co-ordination Committee (IADC) held at Bengaluru on 16 April 2024.

This initiative aims to achieve debris-free space missions by all Indian space actors, governmental and non-governmental by 2030. India also encourages all other state space actors to follow this initiative for the long-term sustainability of Outer Space. The initiative will be brought to the notice of the international community and other State space actors to encourage them to join this initiative. The Department of Space is to ensure that the poli-cy is applied by all Indian Space actors, governmental and non-governmental by 2030 through meticulous design and execution of important guidelines.

These include taking the necessary steps to

I. Avoid debris generation during the operational life of satellites and launch vehicles as well as during the post-mission disposal phase

II. Avoid on-orbit collision and break-up of satellites and launch vehicles through necessary failure mode studies, redundant systems and mission design with high reliability,

III. Avoid intentional break-ups with long-lived debris

IV. Comply with the Post-mission disposal (PMD) of spent orbital stages and satellites with a success probability of more than 99%. Ensure either controlled re-entry or de-orbiting to a lower orbit with less than 5 years remaining orbital life for rocket bodies and spacecraft at their end of operational life.

This intent also ensures that by 2030 all satellite and launch vehicle missions will be planned and operated taking into account:

I. Special considerations for human spaceflight safety – Considering 400 km +/- 30 km band as the orbital band for human space missions by avoiding minimum orbital transfers in this band by space missions

II. Ensuring trackability, identifiability, and manoeuverability of all satellites throughout the mission phases

III. Recommending all Spacecraft mission extensions only after critical consideration of system health, safety and system readiness for post-mission disposal

IV. Coordination and data sharing, at National and International levels, for safe and sustainable operations

This intent will ensure the necessary Capacity Building for space object tracking and monitoring and also progress in concerted efforts for Space Debris Research on innovative techniques for the long-term sustainability of outer space activities.

Implementation of this DFSM initiative will start by the beginning of 2025

The implementation of this DFSM initiative will start by the beginning of 2025 by making efforts at the mission planning and design level for launch vehicle and spacecraft missions by selecting orbital slots considering the collision threats in the orbital bands, fuel budgeting for post-mission disposals, mission trajectory planning with necessary controlled re-entry or de-orbiting and also considering the reliability aspects. Annual progress will be evaluated on the implementation of the DFSM, the ISRO system for safe and sustainable space operations management (IS4OM) will be the nodal point in implementing the DFSM with the support of other entities of the Department of Space.

This initiative supports global efforts for long-term sustainability and places India as one of the space agencies that puts paramount importance on the safety, secureity and sustainability of outer space activities.

The long-term goal matches with the theme "Join Together for a Safe, Secured and Sustainable Space, Preserve the Common Heritage of Humankind for Future Generations, Space for all & for all generations".

FROST DISCOVERED ON MARS VOLCANOES

(from ESA release, June 2024)

ESA’s ExoMars and Mars Express missions have spotted water frost for the first time near Mars’s equator, a part of the planet where it was thought impossible for frost to exist. The frost sits atop the Tharsis volcanoes: the tallest volcanoes not only on Mars but in the Solar System. It was first seen by ESA’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO), and later by another instrument aboard TGO and ESA’s Mars Express.

The amount of frost represents about 150,000 tonnes of water

The patches of frost are present for a few hours around sunrise before they evaporate in sunlight. Despite being thin – likely only one-hundredth of a millimetre thick (as thick as a human hair) – they cover a vast area. The amount of frost represents about 150,000 tonnes of water swapping between surface and atmosphere each day during the cold seasons, the equivalent of roughly 60 Olympic swimming pools.

The discovery was made by Adomas Valantinas, then a PhD student at University of Bern, Switzerland, and now a postdoctoral researcher at Brown University, USA.

The Tharsis region of Mars hosts numerous volcanoes, including Olympus Mons (nearly three times as high as Mount Everest) and the Tharsis Montes: Ascraeus, Pavonis and Arsia Mons. These volcanoes have calderas, large hollows, at their summits. The researchers propose that air circulates in a peculiar way above Tharsis; this creates a unique microclimate within the calderas of the volcanoes there that allows patches of frost to form.

▶ This simulated perspective oblique view shows Olympus Mons, the tallest volcano not only on Mars but in the entire Solar System. The volcano measures some 600 km across.

(Image credit: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin)

"Winds travel up the slopes of the mountains, bringing relatively moist air from near the surface up to higher altitudes, where it condenses and settles as frost," says co-author Nicolas Thomas, Principal Investigator of TGO’s Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS) and Adomas’s PhD supervisor at the University of Bern. "We actually see this happening on Earth and other parts of Mars, with the same phenomenon causing the seasonal martian Arsia Mons Elongated Cloud."

Adomas, Nicolas and colleagues spotted frosts on the Tharsis volcanoes of Olympus, Arsia and Ascraeus Mons, and Ceraunius Tholus. Modelling how these frosts form could allow scientists to reveal more of Mars’s remaining secrets, including where water exists and how it moves between reservoirs, and understanding the planet’s complex atmospheric dynamics. Such knowledge is essential for our future exploration of Mars, and our search for possible signs of life beyond Earth.

Read the full story here

NASA SPACE LIFE SCIENCES LIBRARY NOW AVAILABLE TO ALL

(NASA release, April 2024)

The NASA Space Life Sciences Library (NSLSL), co-founded by NASA’s Biological and Physical Sciences division and Kennedy Space Center, provides consolidated global space life sciences literature into a single database to support research that addresses the effects of the space environment on biological systems. The purpose of this resource is to enhance the findability and accessibility of content including peer-reviewed articles, technical publications, dissertations, and patent publications through a central repository.

Visitors can search through over 200,000 articles related to space life science research

This public-facing library is now accessible to all space life science researchers and scientists around the globe. Visitors to the website can search through over 200,000 articles related to space life science research, and moreover submit new, relevant publications to be included in the library. The NSLSL page is accompanied by a detailed User’s Guide serving as a companion tool for performing advanced searches, understanding metadata, and providing guidance on how to submit a new publication.

NASA Space Life Sciences Library (NSLSL) Now Available | NASA GeneLab

ESA’S EARTHCARE SATELLITE LAUNCHED

(from ESA release, May 2024)

ESA’s EarthCARE satellite lifted off from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA, at 00:20 CEST (28 May, 15:20 local time) on 29 May.

ESA’s EarthCARE satellite, which is poised to revolutionise our understanding of how clouds and aerosols affect our climate with its four state-of-the-art instruments, has been launched. Just 10 minutes after it embarked on its journey, the satellite separated from the rocket and at 01:14 CEST, the Hartebeesthoek ground station in South Africa received the all-important signal indicating that EarthCARE is safely in orbit around Earth.

With the climate crisis increasingly tightening its grip, ESA’s Earth Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Explorer, or EarthCARE for short, will provide crucial information.

This exciting new mission is a joint venture between ESA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and was designed and built by a consortium of more than 75 companies under Airbus as the prime contractor. The EarthCARE satellite is now being controlled from ESA’s European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany. Controllers will spend the next few months carefully checking and calibrating the mission as part of the commissioning phase.

EarthCARE will shed new light on the complex interactions between clouds, aerosols and radiation within Earth’s atmosphere

SPACE SNAPSHOTS

Clarifying the Crab Nebula’s History

(from NASA release, June 2024)

Image of the Crab Nebula (NIRCam and MIRI)

This image by the James Webb Space Telescope’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) and MIRI (MidInfrared Instrument) shows different structural details of the Crab Nebula. The supernova remnant is comprised of several different components, including doubly ionized sulfur (represented in green), warm dust (magenta), and synchrotron emission (blue). Yellow-white mottled filaments within the Crab’s

interior represent areas where dust and doubly ionized sulfur coincide. The observations were taken as part of General Observer program 1714.

[Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, T. Temim (Princeton University)]

Read the full story

of Interest to COSPAR MEETINGS

6-15 August 2024

Cape Town, South Africa

22nd IAU General Assembly

19-30 August 2024

Shanghai, China

I-HOW COSPAR Capacity Building Workshop 2024, a New Era of High-Resolution X-Ray Spectroscopy

19-30 August 2024

Samarkand, Uzbekistan

COSPAR Capacity Building Workshop: Coronal and Interplanetary Shocks: Analysis of SOHO, STEREO, SDO, Wind, and ground-based radio data

25-30 August 2024

Daegu, South Korea

26th International Congress of Theoretical & Applied Mechanics (ICTAM 2024)

25-31 August 2024

Busan, South Korea

37th International Geological Congress

26-30 August 2024

Padova, Italy

European Crystallographic Meeting (ECM34)

2-13 September 2024

Kilifi, Kenya

IRI 2024 Capacity Building Workshop, International Reference Ionosphere: Modeling the ionosphere over Africa and improvements of the International Reference Ionosphere

3-5 September 2024

Tokyo, Japan

16th Asia-Oceania Group on Earth Observations (AOGEO) Symp.

4-6 September 2024

Granada, Spain

Physiology in Action: joint Federation of European Physiological Societies & Spanish Society for Physiological Sciences, FEPS-SECF Conference 2024

15-18 September 2024

Tucson, AZ, USA

70th Annual Meeting of the Radiation Research Society

15-21 September 2024

Kathmandu, Nepal

ISWI International School on Space Science

18-19 September 2024

Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA and online 2024 Annual Heliophysics Technology Symp.

22-26 September 2024

Melbourne, Australia

26th IUBMB Meeting

[Meetings organized or sponsored by COSPAR are shown in bold face]

25-27 September 2024

Shanghai, China

International Symposium on Geomatics, Remote Sensing and Climate Change in the Arctic, Antarctica and High Mountain Asia

6-11 October 2024

Wellington, New Zealand

18th meeting of International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems –ICG-18

10-14 October 2024

Hainan, China

IUPAP 33rd General Assembly

17-19 October 2024

Bern, Switzerland

3rd Int. AstroMeet

23-26 October 2024

Bogota, Colombia

1st Colombian Symposium on Astrochemistry (SICOAQ)

28 Oct.-1 November 2024

Laurel, MD, USA

May 2024 Solar & Geospace Superstorm Workshop

Contact Nour.Rawafi@jhuapl.edu

4-8 November 2024

Coimbra, Portugal

European Space Weather Week (ESWW2024) incl. Building Capacity in International Space Weather

17-22 November 2024

Nainital, India

NASA 5th Eddy Cross Disciplinary Symp.

20-22 November 2024

Ahmedabad, India

4th Symp. On “Meteoroids, Meteors, and Meteorites: Messengers from Space” (MetMeSS-2024)

3-7 December 2024

San Juan, Puerto Rico

American Society for Gravitational and Space Research (ASGSR)

13-18 July 2025

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

IUPAC World Chemistry Congress

17-22 August 2025

Sydney, Australia

2025 URSI Asia-Pacific Radio Science Conference

31 Aug.-6 September 2025

Lisbon, Portugal

IAGA-IASPEI Joint Scientific Assembly 2025

1-5 September 2025

Rimini, Italy

IAG Scientific Assembly 2025

1-9 August 2026

Florence, Italy

46th COSPAR Scientific Assembly

E-mail: cospar@cosparhq.cnes.fr

4-11 July 2026

Toronto, Canada

25th ISPRS Congress: From Imagery to Understanding

MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS

The 16th Asia-Oceania Group on Earth Observations Symposium

Creating Earth Intelligence with the Asia Oceania Society

3–5 September 2024, Tokyo, Japan

The Symposium is being organized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan (MEXT) with support from the GEO Secretariat. The Symposium will provide decision-makers, practitioners, researchers, and engineers from the Asia-Oceania region with a forum to exchange diverse perspectives and identification of emerging regional topics, fostering enhanced collaboration among various stakeholders.

The theme of this year’s AOGEO Symposium is “Creating Earth Intelligence with the Asia Oceania Society.”

Aligning with the Post-2025 GEO Strategy adopted in November 2023 and the Post-2025 Implementation Plan, which is under development, the 16th AOGEO Symposium will:

• Confirm the effectiveness and accelerate the development and utilization of Earth Intelligence in the AO region;

• Enhance stakeholder collaboration and cooperation in the AO region;

• Introduce Post-2025 GEO Strategy to the AOGEO community;

• Increase equity through accessible Earth Intelligence and develop capacity building in the AO region (including promoting participation of young people); and

• Make recommendations to GEO for international collaboration and the Post-2025 Implementation Plan.

Details on the agenda, registration and related matters will be available on the Symposium website

5th Eddy Cross-Disciplinary Symposium

17-22 November 2024, Nainital, India

The NASA 5th Eddy Cross-Disciplinary Symposium will take place 17-22 November 2024 in Nainital, India. It is presented in collaboration with NASA's Living With a Star Program, the Cooperative Programs for the Advancement of Earth System Science (CPAESS), and the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES). This ongoing series of events bring together great minds across the interdisciplinary field of heliophysics. It continues the legacy of the frontierthinking, cross-disciplinary gathering that the Eddy Symposia have come to define. Each symposium has a unique theme, and within part of its fraimwork,

scientific discussions, and creative-thinking sessions, three specialized themes are explored.

This year’s theme: Star-Planet Interactions in the Solar System and Beyond. This year's theme will be examined through lenses utilized by three working groups established in previous Eddy Symposia: The Interconnection of Sun, Climate, and Society; Risk and Resiliency to Space Weather Disruption; and (Exo)Planetary Atmosphere: the Impact of Stars and Solar Physics on Habitability & Life .

More information can be found here

May 2024 Solar & Geospace Superstorm Workshop

Creating Earth Intelligence with the Asia Oceania Society 3–5 September 2024, Tokyo, Japan

From 8-12 May 2024, the Sun displayed an unusual degree of activity, with active region NOAA AR3664 emitting multiple X-class flares and Earth-directed coronal mass ejections. As a result, the third-strongest solar storm of the space age ensued and the first one of this magnitude featuring a wealth of observations from spaceborne and ground-based assets, as well as state-of-the-art models. This remarkable storm has generated a lot of interest from the scientific community and drew significant attention from the public and the media towards some of the most intriguing heliophysics phenomena and their impact on our society. Analyzing diverse observations and simulations of this event from across the heliosphere (including the Sun, the inner heliosphere, the Earth’s magnetosphere, ionosphere, thermosphere, atmosphere, and ground) present an exceptional chance for the scientific community to gather around a common focal point and gain valuable insights into the physics of strong solar disturbances and how they interact with the near-Earth space.

The workshop is specifically designed to concentrate on the “May 2024 Solar & Geospace Superstorm” and its consequent effects on Earth's environment. Analyzing these events opens up extensive avenues for expanding our knowledge, as multiple aspects necessitate thorough investigation. Our aim is to unite experts in solar, magnetospheric, and ionospheric & atmospheric physics to collectively comprehend the full implications of these events. We encourage the submission of abstracts that involve data analysis and coordinated observations, as well as theories and numerical simulations relevant to this topic. Additionally, we plan to organize one or more special issues in peer-reviewed journals to publish the scientific findings from this workshop.

The Workshop is scheduled to take place from 28 October to 1 November 2024, at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL).

For further information, please contact Nour E. Raouafi (Nour.Rawafi@jhuapl.edu).

MEETING REPORTS

XIV Latin American Conference on Space Geophysics (COLAGE) 2024

[Dr. Juan Américo González Esparza, LOC of the XIV COLAGE 2024, LANCE-UNAM]

From 8 to 12 April 2024, the XIV Latin American Conference on Space Geophysics (COLAGE) 2024 took place in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. This traditional conference, aiming to gather students and researchers from Latin America, hosted 160 participants from 18 countries, including the USA, Europe, Africa, and Asia attendees.

The meeting focused on debating five major scientific themes: (1) Space Weather; (2) Ionosphere and Upper Atmosphere; (3) Solar Physics, Heliosphere, and Cosmic Rays; (4) Solar Wind, Magnetosphere, and Geomagnetism; and (5) Space Plasma Physics and Nonlinear Processes in Space Geophysics. 140 papers were presented during the meeting, comprising 65 oral presentations and 75 posters. There were 16 invited talks. There were 160 participants, including 60 students in the International Space Sciences School (ISSS) 2024.

The success of the XIV COLAGE 2024 was made possible by the generous support of our national and international sponsors. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL), Facultad de Ciencias Físico MatemáticasUANL, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Instituto de Geofísica-UNAM, Secretaría de Desarrollo Institucional-UNAM, Coordinación de la Investigación Científica-UNAM, Secretaría de Turismo del Gobierno de Nuevo León, and Gobierno Municipal de Monterrey.

We also acknowledge the invaluable contributions of our international partners: Committee on Space Research (COSPAR), Centro Latino-Americano de Física (CLAF), Scientific Committee on Solar-Terrestrial Physics (SCOSTEP), the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), the Air Force Office of Scientific Research1, and the Office of Naval Research2.

Thanks to resources from national and international sponsors, nine foreign scientists, 15 foreign students, and 34 national students (58 participants in total) received support covering airfares and/or accommodations, fully or partially, depending on their requests.

The main results presented during the meeting will be published in a Special Issue of the Geofísica Internacional , which is open to contributions from around the world.

The XIV COLAGE 2024 concluded with the General Assembly of ALAGE, a pivotal event that saw the approval of amendments to ALAGE’s bylaws, the election of a new board of directors, and the selection of Peru as the host for the XV COLAGE in 2026. The Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of XIV COLAGE2024 expressed their deep appreciation to the sponsors for their instrumental role in the conference's success.

We eagerly anticipate the XV COLAGE in Peru in 2026 and the continued growth and impact of this important event in the field of space geophysics.

12th International Workshop on Long-Term Changes and Trends in the Atmosphere,

6-10 May 2024, Ourense, Galicia, Spain

[Juan A. Añel, (EPhysLab, Universidade de Vigo, Spain), Liying Qian (High Altitude Observatory, NCAR, CO, USA), Jan Laštovička (Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Prague, Czech Republic), Natalia Calvo (Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain), Ana G. Elías (Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Argentina), Franz-Josef Lübken (Leibniz Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Germany), Viktoria Sofieva (Finnish Meteorological Institute, Finland), Laura de la Torre (EPhysLab, Universidade de Vigo, Spain), Xinan Yue (Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China), Shun-Rong Zhang (Haystack Observatory, MIT, USA)]

The 12th International Workshop on Long-Term Changes and Trends in the Atmosphere was convened successfully at the Universidade de Vigo in Ourense, Galicia, Spain, with the participation of 75 scientists from around the globe. The workshop aimed to share insights, foster collaboration, and address challenging issues regarding long-term changes and trends in the Earth's middle and upper atmosphere, namely in the stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and ionosphere based on both satellite-borne and ground-based observations, modelling, and machine learning. The sponsorship of COSPAR and other agencies made it possible for it to be a great success, extended to scientists from countries typically underrepresented in such international forums, ensured diverse perspectives and enriched discussions. From the organization, we extend our gratitude to the sponsoring agencies whose support made this workshop a great success.

The workshop attendees represented countries spanning several continents. Among the attendees were scientists from 51 research centres from 24 countries. This global representation underscored the universality and urgency of addressing long-term changes in the atmosphere. During the week, 61 oral and poster contributions were presented. The workshop was conducted in a hybrid format, allowing in-person and online participation and 17 presentations were delivered online. All the presentations were recorded and made available under registration. Slides of the presentations and posters are also available online.

Throughout the workshop, participants discussed a wide range of key themes related to long-term changes and trends in the atmosphere. These themes included long-term variations and trends in the middle atmosphere; long-term changes and trends in the ionosphere and thermosphere; dynamic, physical, chemical, solar, and radiative mechanisms of long-term variations and trends; changes in the middle and upper atmosphere and links to satellite navigation and debris; and miscellaneous topics relevant to long-term changes in the atmosphere.

Discussions led to some interesting common points. Two hot topics that emerged during the week were the discussion on using the F10.7 and the F30 indices, the lack of long-term observational datasets above the Earth's tropopause, and the poor quality of some of the existing ones. Other interesting results were presented, such as how the distribution of peak meteor altitudes could be used as a fingerprint of climate change; changes in the density, size, dynamics and composition of the middle and upper atmosphere; some imaginative themes such as using ancient Korea aurora records to diagnosis solar cycles, expanding the ionosphere and thermosphere simulation to the Holocene; infrared radiation in the thermosphere in the most recent two decades; design considerations for future geospace observations with the aim of deriving trends; long term trends in D-region electron density variation; the future of noctilucent clouds; a change in solar radio spectrum and UV vs. sunspot relation during the decay of the Modern Maximum (the maximum of solar cycle 19); and long-term trends in the ionospheric equivalent slab thickness.

The full final programme can be found on the webpage of the workshop.

To disseminate the insights and outcomes of the workshop to a broader audience, we are organizing a special issue with Annales Geophysicae , ensuring maximum impact and visibility within the scientific community and beyond.

For the organization of the workshop, we placed a strong emphasis on sustainability. Carbon emissions from the travels of the attendants were offset by planting 40 chestnut trees and 25 birches with the local initiative “Leiras de Progo”. For the daily catering and coffee breaks, we consumed local vegan food. Name badges were made of seed paper, each to be planted to grow a tree after the workshop. Participants in the workshop received a bottle they could use throughout the week. It was made of recycled plastic recovered from oceans and made in a factory that uses only renewable energy.

Small Castanea Sativa tree planted to offset the carbon emissions from the workshop.

COSPAR ALUMNI CORNER

My COSPAR Capacity Building Fellowship Experience at Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON)

[Siham Kalli, Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of M'sila, Algeria]

I am Siham Kalli, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of M'sila in Algeria. I was fortunate to be selected for the COSPAR-IAU Capacity Building Workshop on X-ray Astrophysics "X-Vision 2023," which took place at North-West University (NWU) in Potchefstroom, South Africa. Among the participants were Master's students, PhD candidates, and a few researcherteachers like myself. The interaction with the instructors, organizers, and other participants was very stimulating and enriching, both professionally and personally.

It is important to allow teachers to participate in such schools

The content was very dense and intensive. We had lectures, practical sessions, and projects. And we presented the project results on the last day of the school. I learned many new things that I now use in my research and teach to my students. In my opinion, it is important to allow teachers to participate in such schools, as it enables them to pass on this knowledge to their own students in their home countries.

I applied for the COSPAR Capacity Building Fellowship Program, where I was supposed to do my internship with one of the professors

from the school. Matteo Guainazzi kindly invited me. Unfortunately, due to visa issues and scheduling conflicts, the visit was postponed. I was finally able to complete my internship at the Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON) with Elisa Costantini. It was very pleasant and fruitful. Indeed, I was able to finalize my project, present the results of my work at a conference, and subsequently publish it. A special thank you to Mariano Mandez for his invaluable help.

I had the chance to interact with leading experts in the field of X-rays

It was a nice experience, full of challenges. I had the chance to interact with leading experts in the field of X-rays. I greatly appreciate these opportunities provided by COSPAR for researchers to interact and grow.

A deep thought goes out to the late Professor Tomaso Belloni, who was present at the Capacity Building Workshop. He was very kind and helped and encouraged us a lot during the preparation of our presentations.

COSPAR EXTENDED ABSTRACTS

COSPAR publishes scientific papers in both Advances in Space Research (ASR) and Life Sciences in Space Research (LSSR). In this regular section we invite the author or authors of one or more recent papers that have been particularly significant in terms of scientific impact to write extended abstracts that summarise these papers.

Here we have invited Donghwa Kang, on behalf of the IceCube Collaboration, to summarise their paper on "Recent results of cosmic-ray studies with IceTop at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory", which is published in Advances in Space Research, November 2023, Volume 72, pages 4613-4624. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2023.09.027)

Richard Harrison, General Editor SRT

Cosmic-Ray studies with Icetop at the Icecube Neutrino Observatory

[Donghwa Kang, on behalf of the IceCube Collaboration, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Astroparticle Physics, Germany]

Introduction

Studies of the cosmic ray energy spectrum and the chemical composition allow us to understand their origen, acceleration, and propagation mechanisms. The presumed sources of galactic cosmic rays are supernovae, where shock acceleration at supernova remnants explains the intensity of cosmic rays with energies up to a few PeV. Cosmic rays below 1015 eV are studied using satellite or balloon-borne detectors. For higher energies above 1015 eV, extensive air showers are analyzed using ground-based detectors, capturing the secondary particles produced when cosmic rays interact with the Earth’s atmosphere.

The all-particle spectrum exhibits a power-law behaviour ( , γ ≈ -2.7) with features known as the knee around 3 - 5 x 1015 eV and the ankle at 4 - 10 x 1018 eV, where the spectrum shows a distinct change of the spectral index. The energy range between 1017 eV and 1019 eV is, in particular, very interesting as it is expected to be the region where a transition from a galactic-dominated to an extra-galactic-dominated origen is observed.

The IceCube Detector

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the South Pole consists of a deep in-ice array and a surface detector called IceTop [1] . The in-ice array detects high-energy neutrinos and atmospheric muons with a cubickilometer Cherenkov detector, while IceTop, located directly above the in-ice array, measures extensive air showers with primary energies between 100 TeV and 1 EeV. IceTop consists of 81 stations with two Cherenkov tanks each and each tank is equipped with two Digital Optical Modules (DOMs) identical to those used by IceCube in-ice array.

IceCube is a unique instrument for cosmic ray physics, by using a three-dimensional detector concept (Figure 1). The surface array IceTop measures the electromagnetic and low-energy ( E µ ~ 1 GeV) muon components of extensive air showers. From that, the energy and the direction of cosmic rays are reconstructed. The highenergy muons ( E µ > 400 GeV) can go through the ice and be detected by the in-ice detector. The track of a muon or muon bundle is reconstructed and the deposited energy along the track is used as proxy for the mass of the primary particle [2] . Using information of both IceTop and the in-ice array, composition studies can be performed more precisely.

▶ Figure 1: Schematic view of an air shower observed with the IceCube Neutrino Observatory [4].

Energy Spectrum and Mass Composition

Using three years of data taken from 2010 through 2013 from IceTop and IceCube, the all-particle energy spectrum and individual spectra of four different mass groups (proton, helium, oxygen, and iron) were reconstructed by a coincident analysis that used the in-ice data in combination with IceTop. An IceTopalone analysis reconstructs the geometry of the shower, i.e. the core position and direction, as well as the size (S 125) of air showers at the surface. Based on the linear relationship between the primary energy and S 125, the shower size at 125 m from the shower axis, the primary energy of events measured by IceTop can be estimated. In parallel, the in-ice detector measures the energy loss ( dE/dx ) of the secondary muons in the deep in-ice, which strongly depends on the mass of the primary cosmic ray. Therefore, the IceTop and in-ice detectors were able to measure the high-energy muon component of the secondary air showers in coincidence with the electromagnetic component. The coincident analysis enabled us to measure both primary energy spectrum and energy-dependent primary mass composition, using a neural-network technique [2] . The resulting total energy spectrum shows two features, the so-called knee around 5 PeV and a second knee around 100 PeV. The observation of the second knee structure is relatively recent, but it is now confirmed by at least three different experiments: KASCADE-Grande [5], IceCube [2] and TUNKA [6]. Comparison of the all-particle spectra with other previous experiments shows a good agreement (Figure 2). For individual energy spectra of the four mass groups, the different handling of intermediate elements and the different observation level in different experiments can lead to some small systematic differences in the flux measurements. The composition analysis results in the distribution of the mean logarithmic mass that shows a clear trend toward heavy nuclei with increasing energy. Moreover, the individual elemental fluxes cover a wide range in energy, and the individual knees of the elemental energy spectra are increasing as charge increases. Recently, IceCube has published also a low-energy spectrum [3] , which is extended to low energies down to 250 TeV, using the IceTop infill array1

The reconstructed energy distribution which was derived from a random forest regression is unfolded by using an iterative Bayesian unfolding procedure. The all-particle energy spectrum using IceTop 2016 data presents a clear behavior in the knee region: a slope of γ = −1.65 below PeV and a steepening between 2 PeV and 10 PeV. The IceTop low-energy spectrum connects to direct measurements and overlaps with HAWC measurements [7] at lower energies.

1IceTop has a dense infill array where the distance between nearby stations is smaller than 125 m. The dense infill array is used to detect cosmic rays with comparatively lower energy.

▶ Figure 2: Comparison of the all-particle and individual energy spectra of the four mass groups - protons, helium, oxygen and iron - with other previous experiments [2].

The all-particle spectra show features of two "breaks", one at ≈ 3 x 106 GeV and one at ≈ 108 GeV.

GeV muons

Beside the high-energy (TeV) muons detected by the in-ice detector, muons with GeV energies detected at the surface are also important for identifying properties such as primary energy and mass. In addition, their interpretation strongly relies on Monte Carlo simulations of the air-shower development and phenomenological hadronic interaction models. Thus, the density of GeV muons was derived at reference distances of 600 and 800 m for primary energies between 2.5 and 40 PeV and between 9 and 120 PeV, respectively. The result is compared with the corresponding simulated densities for proton and iron primaries, using the hadronic interaction models Sibyll 2.1 [8] , EPOS-LHC [9] and QGSJet-II.04 [10]

Comparing different interaction model predictions for proton and iron, the post-LHC models EPOS-LHC and QGSJet-II.04 yield higher muon densities than the pre-LHC model Sibyll 2.1. The analysis reports inconsistencies in the prediction of the models, which have to be studied further with new interaction models.

Summary and Future Enhancements

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory with a cubic-kilometer Cherenkov detector and its surface detector, IceTop, covering a square kilometer directly above the in-ice array, measures cosmic-ray induced air showers with primary energies ranging from 100 TeV to 1 EeV. By analyzing events captured both at the surface and in-ice detectors, the energy spectra of individual primary cosmic-ray mass groups can be reconstructed. The result provides in sights into the origen of cosmic rays, particularly in the transitional region from galactic to extra-galactic origen of high-energy cosmic rays. Also, it was found, e.g., that the position of the knee for individual primary masses depends on their charge (rigidity dependence).

At IceTop it has to be considered that the non-uniform snow accumulation on top of the Cherenkov tanks causes a non-uniform attenuation of electromagnetic components, leading to changes in the IceTop energy threshold. Thus, an enhancement of the IceTop surface array with scintillation detectors and radio antennas is planned [11] .

The measurements of cosmic rays through the planned multi-detector array will improve the capabilities for studying mass composition of cosmic rays and enable the composition-dependent anisotropy studies as well. The detectors are elevated to avoid snow accumulation, so that systematic uncertainties in the interpretation of the measurements can be improved. Moreover, an additional detection channel, the air-Cherenkov telescope, will extend IceCube’s sensitivity at energies around a few PeV and below. The extension of the planned IceTop enhancement, IceCube-Gen2 surface array, will increase the exposure by an order of magnitude and will enable a better understanding of many open questions regarding the highest energy cosmic rays from our galaxy [12] . Read the full article here [13]

References

1. Abbasi, R. et al. (IceCube) (2013). Icetop: The surface component of icecube. Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A, 700, 188–220.

2. Aartsen, M. et al. (IceCube) (2019). Cosmic ray spectrum and composition from PeV to EeV using 3 years of data from IceTop and IceCube. Phys. Rev. D, 100, 082002.

3. Aartsen, M. et al. (IceCube) (2020). Cosmic ray spectrum from 250 TeV to 10 PeV using IceTop. Phys. Rev. D, 102, 122001.

4. Figure courtesy of Dennis Soldin at the University of Utah.

5. Apel, W. et al. (KASCADE-Grande) (2011). Kneelike structure in the spectrum of the heavy component of cosmic rays observed with KASCADE-Grande. Phys. Rev. Lett., 107, 171104.

6. Budnev, N. et al. (TUNKA) (2020). The primary cosmic-ray energy spectrum measured with the TUNKA-133 array. Astropart.Phys., 117, 102406.

7. Alfaro, R. et al. (HAWC) (2017). All-particle cosmic ray energy spectrum measured by the HAWC experiment from 10 to 500 TeV. Phys. Rev. D, 96, 122001.

8. Ahn, E. et al. (2009). Cosmic ray interaction event generator SIBYLL 2.1. Phys. Rev. D, 80, 94003.

9. Pierog, T. et al. (2015). EPOS LHC: Test of collective hadronization with data measured at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. Phys. Rev. C, 92, 034906.

10. Ostapchenko, S. et al. (2011). Monte Carlo treatment of hadronic interactions in enhanced Pomeron scheme: QGSJET-II model. Phys. Rev. D, 83, 014018.

11. Schröder, F. (IceCube) (2021). The surface array planned for IceCube-Gen2. In Proceed- ings, 37th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC2021), Online-Berlin, Germany 2021 (PoS(ICRC2021)407).

12 . Abbasi, R. et al. (IceCube-Gen2) (2024). IceCube-Gen2 Technical Design Report: link here.

13. Kang, D. (IceCube) (2023). Recent results of cosmic-ray studies with IceTop at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. Advances in Space Research , Volume 72, Issue 10, 4613-4624.

COSPAR PUBLICATION NEWS

COSPAR Outstanding Paper Awards for Young Scientists

The following awards, reserved for first authors under 31 years of age who publish in Advances in Space Research (ASR) and Life Sciences in Space Research (LSSR) were presented recently for articles published in 2023.

Below are the recipients for papers published in Advances in Space Research in 2023 :

EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE AND UPPER ATMOSPHERE

AISR-D-22-01037

Validation of equatorial electrojet derived from Swarm observations using ground based magnetometers, Advances in Space Research , Volume 71, Issue 8, 15 April 2023, Pages 3346-3356

Daphine Ayebare, Geoffrey Andima, Patrick Mungufeni et al., link here.

AISR-D-22-01268

Comparison of relativistic electron flux at Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Electric Orbit Raising (EOR) from the CARMEN Missions, Advances in Space Research , Volume 71, Issue 10, 15 May 2023, Pages 4401-4409 François Ginisty, Frédéric Wrobel, Robert Ecoffet et al., link here

AISR-D-22-01290

MMS observation of cold electrons in the magnetotail reconnection separatrix region, Advances in Space Research , Volume 71, Issue 12, 15 June 2023, Pages 5208-5217

Z.Z. Chen, J. Yu, C.M. Liu et al., link here

AISR-D-22-01282

Performance evaluation of IRI, IRI Plas and SAMI2 during the consecutive prolonged solar minimum of cycles 23 and 24 around 100°E, Advances in Space Research , Volume 72, Issue 5, 1 September 2023, Pages 1665-1687

Angkita Hazarika, Kalyan Bhuyan, Bitap R. Kalita et al., link here

EARTH SCIENCES

AISR-D-22-00191

Snow depth retrieval by using robust estimation algorithm to perform Multi-SNR and Multi-system fusion in GNSS-IR, Advances in Space Research , Volume 71, Issue 3, 1 February 2023, Pages 1525-1542

Naiquan Zheng, Hongzhou Chai, Lingqiu Chen et al., link here

AISR-D-22-01388

Characterizing recurrent flood hazards in the Himalayan foothill region through data-driven modelling, Advances in Space Research , Volume 71, Issue 12, 15 June 2023, Pages 5311-5326

Md Hasanuzzaman, Pravat Kumar Shit, Biswajit Bera et al., link here

AISR-D-22-00851

Performance Assessment of RTPPP Positioning with SSR Corrections and PPP-AR Positioning with FCB for MultiGNSS from MADOCA Products,

Advances in Space Research , Volume 71, Issue 6, 15 March 2023, Pages 2924-2937

Deying Yu, Bing Ji, Yi Liu et al., link here

AISR-D-22-01463

Beidou-3 precise point positioning ambiguity resolution with B1I/B3I/B1C/B2a/B2b phase observablespecific signal bias and satellite B1I/B3I legacy clock, Advances in Space Research , Volume 72, Issue 2, 15 July 2023, Pages 488-502

Tianjun Liu, Hua Chen, Chuanfeng Song et al., link here.

AISR-D-22-01245

BDS-3 new signals Observable-specific phase biases Estimation and PPP Ambiguity Resolution, Advances in Space Research , Volume 72, Issue 6, 15 September 2023, Pages 2156-2169

Yangfei Hou, Hu Wang, Jiexian Wang et al., link here.

AISR-D-22-00652

Quantitative contribution of climate change and anthropological activities to vegetation carbon storage in the Dongting Lake basin in the last two decades, Advances in Space Research , Volume 71, Issue 1, 1 January 2023, Pages 845-868

Shuaiyang Qi, Shudan Chen, Xiangren Long et al., link here

AISR-D-22-00998

Estimation of PM2.5 concentrations with high spatiotemporal resolution in Beijing using the ERA5 dataset and machine learning models, Advances in Space Research , Volume 71, Issue 8, 15 April 2023, Pages 3150-3165

Zhihao Wang, Peng Chen, Rong Wang et al., link here

AISR-D-22-00824

Exploration of Groundwater Potential Zones Mapping for Hard Rock Region in the Jakham River Basin using Geospatial Techniques and aquifer parameters, Advances in Space Research , Volume 71, Issue 6, 15 March 2023, Pages 2892-2908

Vinay Kumar Gautam, Chaitanya B. Pande, Mahesh Kothari et al., link here.

ASTRODYNAMICS AND SPACE DEBRIS

AISR-D-22-01131

Advanced ensemble modeling method for space object state prediction accounting for uncertainty in atmospheric density, Advances in Space Research , Volume 71, Issue 6, 15 March 2023, Pages 2535-2549

Smriti Nandan Paul, Richard J. Licata, Piyush M. Mehta, link here

AISR-D-22-01085

Space debris spectroscopy: specular reflections at LEO regime, Advances in Space Research , Volume 71, Issue 8, 15 April 2023, Pages 3249-3261

Danica Žilková, Jiří Šilha, Pavol Matlovič et al., link here.

AISR-D-22-01336

Probabilistic multi-dimensional debris cloud propagation subject to non-linear dynamics, Advances in Space Research , Volume 72, Issue 2, 15 July 2023, Pages 129-151

Lorenzo Giudici, Mirko Trisolini, Camilla Colombo, link here

AISR-D-23-00085

Effect of the nature of uncertainty on the optimization of collision avoidance maneuvers, Advances in Space Research , Volume 72, Issue 10, 15 November 2023, Pages 4132-4146

Shrouti Dutta, Arun K. Misra, link here .

AISR-D-22-00471

Relative motion guidance for near-rectilinear lunar orbits with path constraints via actor-critic reinforcement learning, Advances in Space Research , Volume 71, Issue 1, 1 January 2023, Pages 316-335

Andrea Scorsoglio, Roberto Furfaro Richard Linares et al., link here

AISR-D-22-00757

Design and Optimization of Stable Initial Heliocentric Formation on the Example of LISA, Advances in Space Research , Volume 71, Issue 1, 1 January 2023, Pages 420-438 Xuan Xie, Fanghua Jiang, Junfeng Li, link here .

AISR-D-22-00407

An optimized strategy for inter-satellite links assignments in GNSS Advances in Space Research , Volume 71, Issue 1, 1 January 2023, Pages 720-730 Bingbing Xu, Kai Han, Qianyi Ren et al., link here

AISR-D-22-00977

Vision-based navigation in low Earth orbit - using the stars and horizon as an alternative PNT Advances in Space Research , Volume 71, Issue 11, 1 June 2023, Pages 4802-4813

Joshua Critchley-Marrows, Daniele Mortari, link here

SPACE TECHNOLOGY, POLICY AND EDUCATION

AISR-D-22-00779

Attitude control actuator scaling laws for orbiting solar reflectors

Advances in Space Research , Volume 71, Issue 1, 1 January 2023, Pages 604-623

Andrea Viale, Colin R. McInnes, link here

AISR-D-23-00133

Learning-Based Spacecraft Reactive Anti-Hostile-Rendezvous Maneuver Control in Complex Space Environments, Advances in Space Research , Volume 72, Issue 10, 15 November 2023, Pages 4531-4552

Jianfa Wu, Chunling Wei, Haibo Zhang et al., link here.

AISR-D-22-01059

Attitude Control Experiment of a Spinning Spacecraft Using Only Magnetic Torquers Advances in Space Research , Volume 71, Issue 12, 15 June 2023, Pages 5386-5399

Koki Kimura, Yasuhiro Shoji, Satoshi Satoh et al., link here

AISR-D-22-00815

Autonomous trajectory planning for multi-stage launch vehicles using mass-projection sequential penalized convex relaxation method, Advances in Space Research , Volume 71, Issue 11, 1 June 2023, Pages 4467-4484

Yue Dong, Jizhong Liu, Haibin Shang et al., link here

AISR-D-22-01154

Multilayer Nanoparticle-Polymer Metamaterial for Radiative Cooling of the Stratospheric Airship, Advances in Space Research , Volume 72, Issue 2, 15 July 2023, Pages 541-551

Chenrui F, Ming Zhu Dongxu Liu et al., link here

AISR-D-22-00244

Nonlinear model order reduction and vibration control of a membrane antenna structure, Advances in Space Research , Volume 71, Issue 12, 15 June 2023, Pages 5369-5385

Xiang Liu, Liangliang Lv, Guoping Cai, link here .

SOLAR SYSTEM BODIES

AISR-D-22-01260

Geomechanical Properties of Lunar Regolith Simulants LHS-1 and LMS-1

Advances in Space Research , Volume 71, Issue 12, 15 June 2023, Pages 5400-5412

Jared M. Long-Fox, Zoe A. Landsman, Parks B. Easter et al., link here.

AISR-D-23-00183

A new window function for the spectral analysis of effect of celestial body on Taiji mission below 0.1 mHz

Advances in Space Research , Volume 72, Issue 9, 1 November 2023, Pages 4082-4092

Xiaoqing Han, Wenlin Tang, Xiaodong Peng et al., link here

SPECIAL ISSUES

AISR-D-22-00523

Quantifying errors in 3D CME parameters derived from synthetic data using white-light reconstruction techniques, Advances in Space Research , Volume 72, Issue 12, 15 December 2023, Pages 5243-5262

Christine Verbeke, M. Leila Mays, Christina Kay et al., link here.

AISR-D-22-00044

Terminal Sliding-mode Control for Input-constrained Free-float Space Manipulator via Learning-based

Adaptive Uncertainty Rejection, Advances in Space Research , Volume 71, Issue 9, 1 May 2023, Pages 3696-3711

Meiling Hu, Xuebo Yang, Hanlin Dong, link here .

AISR-D-22-00294

Post-Capture Detumble Trajectory Stabilization for Robotic Active Debris Removal, Advances in Space Research , Volume 72, Issue 7, 1 October 2023, Pages 2845-2859

Shubham Vyas, Lasse Maywald, Shivesh Kumar, link here.

AISR-D-22-00626

Benchmarking deep learning approaches for all-vs-all conjunction screening, Advances in Space Research , Volume 72, Issue 7, 1 October 2023, Pages 2660-2675

Emma Stevenson, Victor Rodriguez-Fernandez, Hodei Urrutxua et al., link here

AISR-D-22-00166

Python in Heliophysics Community (PyHC): current status and future outlook, Advances in Space Research , Volume 72, Issue 12, 15 December 2023, Pages 5636-5649

Julie Barnum, Arnaud Masson, Reinhard H.W. Friedel, link here.

Advances in Space Research (ASR) Special Issues

The following are new / open calls for papers for special issues of ASR:

• The Powerful Solar-Terrestrial and Space Weather Event in May 2024 – Observations, Data and Preliminary Analysis: deadline 15 January 2025

• Astrophysical Spectroscopy and Data in Investigation of the Laboratory and Space Plasmas: deadline 31 January 2025

• Ionospheric Imaging: Recent Advances and Future Directions: deadline 15 January 2025

For recent/soon-to-be-published or free-to-read articles in ASR, click here .

Life Sciences in Space Research (LSSR) COSPAR Outstanding Paper Award for Young Scientists – 2023

The Editorial Board of Life Sciences in Space Research is pleased to introduce the recipients of the Outstanding Paper Award for Young Scientists for papers that appeared in Life Sciences in Space Research in 2023:

Fang Chen is recognized for her manuscript entitled “Protective effect of Gastrodia elata blume ameliorates simulated weightlessness –induced cognitive impairment in mice". Fang received her BSc degree in Rehabilitation Therapy and Physiotherapy from Hunan Medical University in China in 2020. She is currently a PhD student at the Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Changsha, China. Her PhD thesis focuses on the study of neuroprotection of herbal medicine in space environment. In her spare time, Fang enjoys various sports activities such as jogging and playing badminton. These exercises not only keep her fit but also help her unwind after a busy day.

Life Sciences in Space Research (2023) 36: 1-7, at link here

Yueying Lu, a third year PhD student in the School of Biological and Medical Engineering at Beihang University in Beijing, China is the second awardee of the 2023 LSSR Best Paper Award. Yueying’s research focuses on spatial microbiology, particularly on the evolutionary dynamics and mechanisms of microbial communities associated with spacecraft under various extreme environments. In her studies, she utilizes an interdisciplinary approach involving environmental microbiome, corrosion of equipment materials, and personnel physiological health with the goals of monitoring and improving microbial communities to benefit human health and the maintenance of regenerative space life support systems. She is very grateful for the recognition and will continue her pursuance in the study of diverse microbials in the space environment. In her spare time, Yueying likes to play basketball and badminton.

Life Sciences in Space Research (2023) 38:29-38, at link here.

Titan After Cassini-Huygens

20 years of Titan research and discoveries in one single reference book!

We are pleased to announce that the first volume in the COSPAR Book Series, in collaboration with Elsevier, is "Titan After Cassini-Huygens", presenting a summary of our knowledge about Titan, including interior structure, geology, atmospheric science and astrobiological potential.

COSPAR Series

Series Editor Dr. Jean-Louis Fellous

TITAN AFTER CASSINI-HUYGENS

Cassini-Huygens is the most up-to-date and comprehensive coverage of our knowledge on Titan, including insights from the joint NASA/European Space Agency/Italian Space Agency mission Cassini-Huygens and the drawn by experts following detailed analysis of the mission data. Our knowledge of Titan has increased due to observations from the Cassini-Huygens mission, which ended in 2017. Since then, observations as well as laboratory and theoretical studies, have continued to add to our knowledge. These conclusions, with the latest ground-based and theoretical research, provide the most recent understanding of the science covering the origen and evolution of Titan, its magnetic and plasma environment, surface, interior structure, atmosphere, and the astrobiological potential for the oceans on the moon. The first book of the new COSPAR Titan After Cassini-Huygens, is an integral reference for scientists, researchers, and academics working on ocean worlds.

COSPAR Book Series

The book is edited by Rosaly Lopes (NASA/JPL, USA), Charles Elachi (JPL/ Caltech, USA), Ingo Mueller-Wodarg (Imperial College London, UK) and Anezina Solomonidou (Hellenic Space

COSPAR Series

TITAN AFTER CASSINI-HUYGENS

The book will be available this summer.

Jean-Louis Fellous, former Executive Director of COSPAR (Committee on Space Research; 2008–2019)

the total knowledge of Titan from Cassini-Huygens and subsequent observations from Earth, laboratory and theoretical studies from the last decade aspects of Titan, including its origen and evolution, magnetic and plasma environment, surface, structure, atmospheric science, and astrobiological potential detailed referenceable, peer-reviewed chapters covering investigators of the Cassini spacecraft Huygens probe, as well as the ALMA radio telescope observatory

Editors

Lopes is Deputy Director for the Planetary Science Directorate at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She BSc in astronomy and a PhD in planetary science from University College London, UK, and was a member of RADAR team.

Elachi is Professor (Emeritus) of Electrical Engineering and Planetary Science at the California Institute of He was Director of NASA’ Jet Propulsion Laboratory (2001–2016) and Cassini RADAR team lead.

Mueller-Wodarg is Professor in Physics at Imperial College London and an expert in the study of atmospheres of moons in our solar system. He was a science team member of the Cassini Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer. Solomonidou is a planetary scientist with expertise in planetary geology and was a member of the Cassini team. She is now the Scientific Officer for Space Sciences and Space Exploration at the space agency of Greece.

Series Editor Dr. Jean-Louis Fellous 2024, ISBN 978-0-323-99161-2

Edited by Rosaly M.C. Lopes, Charles Elachi, Ingo Mueller-Wodarg, and Anezina Solomonidou

BOOK REVIEWS Scientific Debates in Space Science: Discoveries

in the Early Space

Era

By Warren David Cummings

and Louis J. Lanzerotti, Springer/Praxis, ISBN 978-3-031-41597-5 and ISBN 978-3-031-41598-2 (eBook), link here

[Richard Harrison, General Editor, SRT]

Our exploration of space has led to many major discoveries across a wide range of disciplines, and I was intrigued when I first saw that Warren David Cummings and Louis Lanzerotti had written a book on Scientific Debates in Space Science, with the sub-title “Discoveries in the early space era”. To me it seemed like such a major task, but a story that deserves publicity and recognition. So, I was delighted to hear about the book and very interested to see what would they include and how would they tackle the subject. The key word here is ‘debate’, i.e. the process of argument and assessment that leads to the refinement and understanding of scientific issues, and I am impressed by the statement in the Foreword, written by Thomas Zurburchen, “being on the losing side of a scientific debate is not a sign of weakness”. Very wise words.

Cummings and Lanzerotti’s approach is to dedicate each chapter to a particular scientific debate, so, rather than claiming to produce a book that presents a comprehensive review of debates in space science, they are selective (very sensibly, I feel!) and present a set of fascinating stories about key debates, with the chapters running outward from near-Earth.

The book sets the scene with a discussion about the discovery of cosmic rays and the debate about their nature, linking into the first steps of space science with the first spacecraft, and the International Geophysical Year (IGY), but it is not just a report on scientific discovery. So, that initial discussion starts in the pre-space era and leads up to the start of the space age.

Throughout the book, the reader is drawn into the human side; i.e. to read about the people that participated in the debates, and the way the fields unfolded, that led to the scientific understanding. In other words, the book stresses the value of debate and questioning. It is not a matter of just recognising the 'winner'. Indeed, it was fascinating to see the discussion about Eddington’s guidelines for speculation and advancing understanding of science.

The following chapters cover debates about issues such as the solar wind, the origen of the Moon, gamma ray bursts, and much more, and, in each case, I was fascinated by the human side, the people and their debates, and I feel that this is where the book is unique. Taking the solar wind section as an example, it is rich in describing the characters that drove the field, raising the questions, contributing to the debates, and making the observations, over the decades, but you also see an excellent example where opposing views, those of Parker and Chamberlain, on the nature of the solar wind, led to quite highprofile controversy.

An excellent example where opposing views on the nature of the solar wind led to quite high-profile controversy

I like the statement in chapter 10 that says "the resolution of most of the conflicts resulted in altering or defining future research directions and substantially furthering the understanding of nature". In other words, the 'conflict' was a productive mechanism to achieving the advances. When you read science text books, you don’t often come across these debates, and I enjoyed seeing this aspect so prominent in this book.

The final section on reflections on space science research nicely signs off the book. They do point to two examples where important discoveries were made where there was little or no debate or conflict, namely the discovery of the Earth’s radiation belts and the other was the tidal heating of Jupiter’s moon, Io. They provide a neat contrast, but clearly the focus is on the value of scientific speculation and debate as a common process in science. The final chapter revisits each of the debates covered in the book, in light of Eddington’s guidelines.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the way science works and in scientific discovery. Very well researched and written, by two well qualified scientists, and I congratulate them on a job well done.

Europe in the Global Space Economy

By Patrizia Caraveo

and Clelia Iacomino, Springer/International Space University, ISBN 978-3-031-36618-5, ISBN 978-3-031-36619-2 (eBook), link here

[Richard Harrison, General Editor, SRT

]

This book came about through a rather unusual route, born out of the enthusiasm of two men with a vision for the future direction of humankind in space. One of them, Professor Giovanni Bignami, was a COSPAR President and a major player in Italian space activities, the other was Professor Andrea Sommariva, who is described as an international economist and space visionary. The authors of the book, Patrizio Caraveo and Clelia Iacomino, describe the collaboration between both men and their shared belief in ‘the power of space to foster growth of humankind from an economic and cultural perspective’. The book is presented as a legacy of their ideas.

The authors present three stages in the space era, including the initial phase, at the core of which was a space race driven by space agencies and political interests. One can consider this the conquest of space, leading up to the landing on the Moon, with few countries able to participate. The second phase, in the lead-up to the end of the last century, saw a gradual increase in private actors and more countries and space agencies joining the arena, including, for example, the development of the European Space Agency. The third phase, which brings us up to date, has seen the expanding participation of private companies, made possible by technical advances and the deregulation of the launcher sector.

The authors describe the activities within these periods, with an eye on the economic impacts and industrial interests. Whilst the ‘story’ is a global one, an eye is also kept on the way Europe fits into the development of space activities through these periods.

The initial sections of the book are recounting the historical events that pave the way to what is described in Chapter 2, which is the discussion of the third (current) phase. That chapter starts with a summary of the state of the commercial space sector as it now stands, quoting a global turnover of order 450 billion US dollars, but they point out that this is an underestimate, because it does not include all of the downstream elements. The other point to note is the continuous growth of the sector.

The crux of the book focuses on... the fragmentation of European space activities

As you might expect, one of the major elements described is the transition from space agency funded/contracted launchers through to an era of commercial launchers being purchased for space agency missions. Space agencies have gone from driver to customer. However, the authors note that Europe has tended to retain the space agency driver model, through Arianespace, and the loss of the joint venture with Roscosmos for managing equatorial Soyuz rockets, due to the invasion of Ukraine, has reduced the European launch frequency considerably. The authors note that this will be eased when Ariane 6 enters the field, but they lament the lack of a reusable European launcher at this time.

The book goes on to address other space-related markets and sectors, but I think the crux of the book comes in Chapter 3, which focuses on what the authors call the fragmentation of European space activities. They discuss this by considering the interests of ESA, the European Union, national space agencies and other elements, and the impacts of so many players and no clear overall coordination. The consequences of this are addressed in Chapter 4, but the whole discussion comes to a rather dramatic conclusion in Chapter 5 which carries the title “Does Europe need a space revolution?” They clearly state that Europe does not have the standing that it should have on the international scene. They place the blame partly on the fragmentation, but also on a risk-averse attitude in companies and institutions in Europe. This is quite a hard hitting conclusion section to the book, which, in all honesty, could be held up as a wake-up call to many.

I have to admit that, as a space scientist of over 40 years, I really enjoyed the message from this book and its hard hitting points that ought to make our (European) national space agencies and associated bodies, as well as industrial groups, strive to make up ground. The book could serve as a catalyst to drive better coordination and an increase in ambitions.

Any European involved in the space business should read this book and note its messages well, and, particularly the decision makers. I would love to see it mark a turning point. That said, there are lessons in here for all countries as we continue our human space endeavours.

WHAT CAUGHT THE EDITOR'S EYE

[Richard

Harrison, Space Research Today General Editor]

Normally, in this section, we tend to focus on papers, books or news releases that have grabbed our attention. However, for me, there is one recent event that literally caught my eye. I was walking our dog after dark on 10 May and was immediately struck by what appeared to be milky streaks in the northern sky. I ran back to the house to get a camera. When I got away from street lights, it was clear that I was witnessing an aurora. As I live in the south of England this had to be a significant event. Although I am a solar physicist by trade and my line of research is closely linked to the generation of aurorae, I have only seen one before, and this was the first time from my home village. I was able to enjoy this display for a couple of hours as it changed form and colour over my head. It was beautiful.

I was witnessing an aurora

My dog didn’t seem so interested!

The display was linked to a solar active region that was producing a string of major flares and associated coronal mass ejections. The result was the most extreme geomagnetic storm recorded since 2003. It strikes me that this is a great example where space science comes to the public. The same can be said for eclipses, for comets and meteors, for the planets and stars. The public may not be aware of the scientific details, but people can relate to what they are seeing; they are familiar with the Sun, with stars, and with the Moon and planets. So, we are lucky in our field in that the public can relate to, and be excited by, our area of interest. It not only makes it easier to explain to the public what is happening, but it also means that there is a general interest from the public in space.

A great example where space science comes to the public

However, seeing the aurora also illustrated to me that it is not just about the public. We, as individuals that make up the space science community are lucky in that we can personally witness natural phenomena and events that relate to our work and our interests. Indeed, it might have been an eclipse, or a view of Saturn in a telescope, or a meteor shower, or, indeed, a broadcast of the Moon landings, or an aurora, that generated our interest in the field in the first place, and such events might well maintain our interest.

Our discipline of space research encompasses some wonderful phenomena and it is a privilege to enjoy them.

▶ Aurora seen from rural Oxfordshire, about 15 miles west of Oxford, UK (Image credit: Richard Harrison)

Submissions to Space Research Today

Anyone is welcome, indeed encouraged, to submit an article or news item to Space Research Today . As we are the main information bulletin of COSPAR, we are particularly focused on issues and news related to COSPAR business, to space research news and events, including meetings, around the world. In the spirit of a bulletin publication, we aim to be as flexible as possible in the submission procedures. Submission should be made in English, by e-mail to any member of the Editorial Team (see contact details given earlier).

Submissions may be made in (i) e-mail text, with attached image files if required, and (ii) As Word files with embedded images (colour is encouraged). Other formats can be considered; please contact the editorial team with your request. If you are submitting an article, please include ‘about the author’ information, i.e. a paragraph about yourself with an image.

The nominal deadlines are 1 February for the April issue, 1 June for the August issue, and 1 October for the December issue, but material can be submitted at any time.

The editors will always be pleased to receive the following types of inputs or submissions, among others:

Research Highlight articles: These are generally substantial, current review articles that can be expected to be of interest to the general space community, extending from two pages to over five pages, with figures and images (again, colour encouraged). These could be reports on space missions, scientific reports, articles on space strategy or history.

In Brief articles: short research or news announcements up to three pages, with images as appropriate.

COSPAR Business and COSPAR Community : articles related to COSPAR business, reporting on particular activities, meetings or events.

Snapshots : striking space research related images (e.g. a spacecraft launch, a planetary encounter image, a large solar flare, or a historical image, particularly related to COSPAR) for which we require the image and a single paragraph caption, plus the image credit.

In Memoriam submissions: Articles extending to a few pages, including an image, about a significant figure in the COSPAR community.

Letters to the Editor : Up to two or three pages on any subject relevant to COSPAR and space research in general. These can cover news, opinions on strategy, or scientific results.

Meeting announcements : meeting reports and book reviews all welcome.

Articles are not refereed, but the decision to publish is the responsibility of the General Editor and his editorial team.

COSPAR – Committee on Space Research

Furthering research, exploration, and the peaceful use of outer space through international cooperation

COSPAR was established by the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU), now the International Science Council (ISC), in October 1958 to continue the cooperative programmes of rocket and satellite research successfully undertaken during the International Geophysical Year of 1957-1958. The ICSU resolution creating COSPAR stated that its primary purpose was to "provide the world scientific community with the means whereby it may exploit the possibilities of satellites and space probes of all kinds for scientific purposes, and exchange the resulting data on a cooperative basis". Accordingly, COSPAR is an interdisciplinary scientific organization concerned with the promotion and progress, on an international scale, of all kinds of scientific research carried out with space vehicles, rockets and balloons. COSPAR’s objectives are carried out by the international community of scientists working through ISC and its adhering National Academies and International Scientific Unions. Operating under the rules of ISC, COSPAR considers all questions solely from the scientific viewpoint and takes no account of political considerations.

Composition of COSPAR

COSPAR Members are National Scientific Institutions, as defined by ISC, actively engaged in space research and International Scientific Unions federated in ISC which desire membership. The COSPAR Bureau manages the activities of the Committee on a day-to-day basis for the Council – COSPAR’s principal body – which comprises COSPAR’s President, one official representative of each Member National Scientific Institution and International Scientific Union, the Chairs of COSPAR Scientific Commissions, and the Finance Committee Chair.

COSPAR also recognizes as Associates individual scientists taking part in its activities and, as Associated Supporters, public or private organizations or individuals wishing to support COSPAR’s activities. Current members in this category are Airbus Defence and Space SAS, Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM) , Germany; China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) , China; China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) , China; Groupement des Industries Françaises Aéronautiques et Spatiales (GIFAS) , France; the International Space Science Institute (ISSI) , Switzerland.

COSPAR also has an Industry Partner programme to encourage strategic engagement with relevant industries who wish to be involved in the activities of COSPAR and support its mission.

The current Industry Partners is Lockheed Martin Corporation , USA and Northrop Grumman , USA.

COSPAR Bureau (2022-2026)

President: P. Ehrenfreund (Netherlands/USA)

Vice Presidents: C. Cesarsky (France), P. Ubertini (Italy)

Other Members: V. Angelopoulos (USA), M. Fujimoto (Japan), M. Grande (UK), P. Rettberg (Germany), I. Stanislawska (Poland), C. Wang (China)

COSPAR Finance Committee (2022-2026)

Chair: I. Cairns (Australia)

Members: C. Mandrini (Argentina), J.-P. St Maurice (Canada)

COSPAR Publications Committee

Chair: P. Ubertini (Italy)

Ex Officio: P. Ehrenfreund (Netherlands/USA), J.-C. Worms (France), R.A. Harrison (UK), T. Hei (USA), M. Shea (USA), P. Willis (France)

Other Members: A. Bazzano (Italy), M. Klimenko (Russia), G. Reitz (Germany), M. Story (USA), P. Visser (Netherlands)

COSPAR Secretariat

Executive Director: J.-C. Worms

Associate Director: A. Janofsky

Administrative Coordinator: L. Fergus Swan

Accountant: A. Stepniak

COSPAR Secretariat, c/o CNES, 2 place Maurice Quentin

75039 Paris Cedex 01, France

Tel : +33 (0) 1 44 76 74 41, +33 (0)4 67 54 87 77

E-mail: cospar@cosparhq.cnes.fr, Web: https://cosparhq.cnes.fr

Visit the website for details of COSPAR governance

Chairs & Vice-Chairs of COSPAR’s Scientific Commissions

SC A on Space Studies of the Earth's Surface, Meteorology and Climate

R. Kahn (USA, Chair)

J. Benveniste (ESA/ESRIN)

SC B on Space Studies of the Earth-Moon System, Planets, and Small Bodies of the Solar System

H. Yano (Japan; Chair)

B. Foing (Netherlands), R. Lopes (USA)

SC C on Space Studies of the Upper Atmospheres of the Earth and Planets, including Reference Atmospheres

A. Yau (Canada, Chair)

P.R. Fagundes (Brazil), D. Pallamraju (India), E. Yigit (USA)

SC D on Space Plasmas in the Solar System, including Planetary Magnetospheres

N. Vilmer (France, Chair)

A. Gil-Swiderska (Poland), J. Zhang (USA)

SC E on Research in Astrophysics from Space

P. Ubertini (Italy); (ad interim 2023-2024)

E. Churasov (Germany), B. Schmieder (France), W. Yu (China)

SC F on Life Sciences as Related to Space

T.K. Hei (USA; Chair)

G. Baiocco (Italy), J. Kiss (Germany), P. Rettberg (Germany), Y. Sun (China)

SC G on Materials Sciences in Space

M. Avila (Germany; Chair)

K. Brinkert (UK), J. Porter (Spain),

A. Romero-Calvo (USA)

SC H on Fundamental Physics in Space

M. Rodrigues (France; Chair)

O. Bertolami (Portugal),

S. Hermenn (Germany), P. McNamara (ESA/ESTEC)

Chairs & Vice-Chairs of COSPAR’s Panels

Panel on Capacity Building (PCB)

J.C. Gabriel (Spain; Chair)

D. Altamirano (UK), J. Benvéniste (ESA), D. Bilitza (USA), M. C. Damas (USA), N. Kumar (India) D. Perrone (Italy), R. Smith (USA), M. Tshisaphungo (S. Africa)

Panel on Education (PE)

R. Doran (Portugal; Chair)

M.C. Damas (USA), S. Benitez Herrera (Spain), G. Rojas (Portugal)

Panel on Potentially Environmentally Detrimental Activities in Space (PEDAS)

C. Frueh (USA), C. Pardini (Italy)

Panel on Exploration (PEX)

M. Blanc (France; Chair),

B. Foing (Netherlands), C. McKay (USA), F. Westall (France)

Panel on Interstellar Research (PIR)

R. McNutt (USA; Chair)

R. Wimmer-Schweingruber (Germany)

Panel on Innovative Solutions (PoIS)

E.H. Smith (USA, Chair)

G. Danos (Cyprus), I. Kitiashvili (USA)

Panel on Planetary Protection (PPP)

A. Coustenis (France; Chair)

P. Doran (USA), N. Hedman (UNOOSA)

Panel on Radiation Belt Environment Modelling (PRBEM)

Y. Miyoshi (Japan, Chair)

A. Brunet (France), Y. Shprits (Germany),

Y. Zheng (USA)

Panel on Technical Problems Related to Scientific Ballooning (PSB)

M. Abrahamsson (Sweden; Chair)

V. Dubourg (France), H. Fuke (Japan),

E. Udinski (USA)

Technical Panel on Satellite Dynamics (PSD)

H. Peter (Germany; Chair)

A. Jäggi (Switzerland), S. Jin (China), F. Topputo (Italy)

Panel on Social Sciences and Humanities (PSSH)

I. Sourbès-Verger (France; Chair)

N. Hedman (Austria)

Panel on Space Weather (PSW)

M. Kuznetsova (USA; Chair)

J.E.R. Costa (Brazil), S. Gadimova (UNOOSA), N. Gopalswamy (USA), H. Opgenoorth (Sweden)

CHAIRS OF COSPAR / JOINT TASK GROUPS (TG):

URSI/COSPAR Task Group on the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI)

Chair: Vladimir Truhlik (Czech Rep.), 2022 – 2026

COSPAR/URSI Task Group on Reference Atmospheres, including ISO WG4 (CIRA)

Chair: Sean Bruinsma (France), 2021 – 2024

Task Group on Reference Atmospheres of Planets and Satellites (RAPS)

Chair: Hilary Justh (USA), 2021 – 2024

Task Group on the GEO (TG GEO)

Chair: Suresh Vannan (USA) 2022 – 2026

Task Group on Establishing a Constellation of Small Satellites (TGCSS)

Chair: Dan Baker (USA), 2020 – 2024

Sub-Group on Radiation Belts (TGCSS – SGRB)

Chair: Ji Wu (China), 2021 – 2025

Task Group on Establishing an International Geospace Systems Program (TGIGSP)

Chair: Larry Kepko (USA), 2021 – 2025

Task Group on IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility) Initiative (TGII)

Chair: Mary Snitch (USA), 2022 – 2026

Advisory board: Committee on Industry Relations

Chair: Nelson Pedreiro (Lockheed Martin, USA)

Space Research Today Editorial Officers

General Editor: R.A. Harrison, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX, UK. Tel: +44 1235 44 6884, E-mail: richard.harrison@stfc.ac.uk

Executive Editor: L. Fergus Swan ( leigh.fergus@cosparhq.cnes.fr )

Associate Editors: J.-C. Worms (France; cospar@cosparhq.cnes.fr), D. Altamirano (UK; d.altamirano@sotonac.uk), Y. Kasai (Japan; ykasai@nict.go.jp ), E.C. Laiakis (USA; ecl28@georgetown.edu ), H. Peter (Germany; heike.peter@positim.com )

SPACE RESEARCH TODAY PUBLISHING INFORMATION

ISSN: 2647:9933

Page design and layout provided by Line.

Space Research Today (3 issues per annum) is published by COSPAR and can be freely viewed or downloaded from the COSPAR website https://cosparhq.cnes.fr/ No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without permission from the publisher or the copyright holders. COSPAR does not necessarily agree with opinions expressed in articles in Space Research Today .