After the mid-november site visit by EPSC and Copernicus representatives, the first steps are being taken for starting the local oraganisation activities for the Europlanet Science Conference in Amare, The Hague. The official website has been launched and will be updated with the developing ideas and plans in the months to come. The two co-chairs …
At a time when budget cuts are putting heavy pressure on education, Utrecht University received a remarkable donation: two thin sections and a disc of a lunar meteorite bearing the exotic name Adrar 012. The university received this gift from Roy Masin, owner of Stone Gallery in Baarn. The thin sections—ultra-thin slices of the lunar meteorite …
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The NPP joined the ESTEC Open Day on 12 October and what a success it was! This year, ESTEC celebrated its 50 year existence, drawing close to 10,000 people to the technical heart of the European Space Agency to Noordwijk, the Netherlands. The annual open day also marked the ending of the NL Space Week. …
When we send a rover to Mars, a Martian mudslide or landslide could bring a sudden end to years of hard work and investments. Scientists are therefore eager for more detailed knowledge about the nature of these landslides. But Martian gravity is much lower than Earth’s, and we don’t know how that affects mudslides on …
The oceans of several moons orbiting Jupiter and Saturn are considered among the most promising environments for finding extraterrestrial life. Buried beneath kilometres of ice, the moons’ surfaces may carry crucial information about the oceans below. Dr. Stéphanie Cazaux has received an ERC Advanced Grant to study the interaction between the moons’ oceans and their …
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Applying the detailed empirical understanding gleaned from the terrestrial planets of our own Solar System is crucial in our interpretation of exoplanetary systems. The Rocky World meeting series will help build the collaborations that will pave the way for the next decade of rocky exoplanet discovery and characterisation. The next Rocky Worlds 4 meeting will take place …
From 6-11 September 2026 the Europlanet Science Congress (EPSC) will be organised in the Amare venue in The Hague. The 2026 edition marks the first time that this major European meeting will be held in the Netherlands. The event brings together 900-1200 attendees from various planetary science backgrounds from Europe and beyond. The two co-chairs …
Edgar Steenstra from TU Delft has been awarded the Vening Meinesz Prize for Earth and Environmental Sciences. He receives the €10,000 prize for his innovative research on the formation and evolution of planets, particularly Venus and the Moon, as well as his role in international planetary missions. The award was presented on 20 March 2025 …