Münster, 15 May 2025
It is with great pleasure that we announce the founding of the German Society for Planetary Research (DGP). This organisation was established to promote and network scientific research into the planets, moons, asteroids and comets in our solar system and extrasolar planetary systems.
Planetary research is a fascinating field that investigates the formation and development of these celestial bodies, not least in order to better understand the formation and development of the Earth. The Earth is the only celestial body that we know to harbour life. Almost 70 years after the beginning of the space age, we are able to reach all the different bodies in the solar system with probes and explore them up close. Our knowledge of these planets, moons and small bodies has grown exponentially since then.
State-of-the-art methods are used, from remote sensing using satellite telescopes and cameras, space missions with landing elements, rovers, helicopters and drones to sample returns that enable detailed analyses in the laboratory. In addition, earth-based telescopes are also becoming increasingly powerful. These diverse approaches contribute to a better understanding of the fundamental processes of our planetary system and to gaining insights that are also important for the protection and preservation of our home planet.
In addition to organising scientific events and conferences, the society will intensify the dialogue with politics, industry, research institutions and the public. The aim is to raise awareness of the importance of planetary research and to make the findings accessible to a broad public.
The society’s members come from a wide range of disciplines, including planetology, geosciences, astronomy, physics, computer science and aerospace engineering. One of the major topics is the search for celestial bodies on which the conditions for the existence of life existed and may still exist today. This is why disciplines such as chemistry and biology are also playing an increasingly important role in planetary research. Together, these diverse disciplines are driving forward the exploration of our solar system. Planetary research is laying the foundations for future space missions, both for robotic missions and for the manned exploration of the moon and, in the future, even our neighbouring planet Mars.
We look forward to an exciting future and to unravelling the secrets of our solar system and other planetary systems together!