Sun and Heliosphere

Convenors: Jiajia Liu [China], Robert Erdélyi [UK], Tiago Pereira [Norway], Fang Shen [China]

This session encompasses a broad spectrum of research topics centered around understanding the magnetic field, energetics, and dynamics of solar activities, ranging from small-scale phenomena such as waves, jets/spicules, and swirls to large-scale events like flares, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), sunspots, active regions, and the dynamo. It also covers topics on the solar wind and its interaction with the interstellar medium and Earth's upper atmosphere. Abstracts related to theories, observations, numerical simulations, and machine-learning techniques of the Sun and heliosphere are highly welcome.

Mars and Inner Planets

Convenors: Jingnan Guo [China], Sanchez-Cano Beatriz [UK], Jeremie Lasue [France], Yang Liu [China]，Arianna Piccialli [Belgium]

During the last two solar cycles, there have been rich observations from orbit and ground of the inner solar system planets, specially Mars, which has become the most explored planet after Earth. This advance has only been possible thanks to a large fleet of missions, such as Mars Global Surveyor (MGS), Mars Odyssey (ODY), Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), Mars Express (MEX), Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), the Perseverance rover, Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN), Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO), InSight, Chinese TianWen-I, Emirates Mars Mission (EMM), MESSENGER, BepiColombo, Venus Express (VEX), among others etc. These observations have not only greatly advanced our understanding of these planetary environments, including planetary space environment, atmospheric properties, geological evolution, and even internal structures, but also allowed comprehensive studies of different planets and their habitability in comparison to Earth. This session is dedicated to discuss about 1) the state-of-the-art development in understanding Mars and inner planets based on existing observations as well as various planetary models, 2) our knowledge gaps and open questions in the field and 3) recommendations for future studies and mission planning.

Giant Planet Systems

Convenors: Jihua Hao [China], Michel Blanc [France], Chao He [China], Zhonghua Yao [HK, China]

This session aims to cover a wide range of topics related with giant planets and their moons, including but not limited to: the origin and early evolution of giant planets and their moons, the interaction of giant planets and their moons, the structure of these planetary bodies and their evolution, the magnetic field of these planetary bodies and underlying mechanisms, recent findings on their atmospheres and surface composition, as well as the habitability of icy moons and the seek of potential biosignatures. We also welcome any discussions on the future mission plans and potential payloads for the exploration of giant planetary systems.

Asteroids and Early Solar System

Convenors: Zhengbin Deng [China], Sebastian Charnoz [France], Liangliang Yu [China]

As relics of the Solar System's infancy, asteroids contain pristine material, largely unaltered by geological processes, providing unique insights into the early stages of planetary formation, accretion, and migration. Recent space missions have revolutionized our understanding of asteroids, including NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission and Japan’s Hayabusa2 mission. The Tianwen-2 mission from China is expected to collect samples from the near-Earth asteroid 2016 HO3 and conduct a flyby of the main-belt comet 311P/PANSTARRS. There are also other space missions that have been designed for asteroids from perspectives of scientific study or planetary defense. This session is dedicated to discussion on space mission results/proposals, ongoing ground-based observations, laboratory/experimental studies, and theoretical simulations that can facilitate our understanding of asteroid diversity, planetary formation processes, and the early Solar System's dynamic evolution.

Exoplanets

Convenors: Fei Yan [China], Guo Chen [China], David Cont [Germany], Enric Palle [Spain],Jiwei Xie [China]

With the soaring number of discovered exoplanets and the rapid expansion of exoplanet atmosphere research, exoplanet science is becoming a frontier subject in astronomy, space and planetary science. China is planning to deploy exoplanet-related space missions such as the China Space Station Telescope, the Earth 2.0 mission, the Closeby Habitable Exoplanet Survey mission, the Tianlin mission and the Miyin mission. This session will focus on topics including exoplanet detection, atmosphere characterization, planetary formation and statistics. The session aims to facilitate communication and collaboration between the Chinese and international exoplanet communities and promote the long-term development of the exoplanet field.

Space Astronomy

Convenors: Ruizhi Yang [China], Markus Ackermann [Germany], Jian Li [China], Diego Torres [Spain]

Gamma-ray space astronomy is a crucial field for exploring the high-energy universe, offering unique insights into some of the most extreme and energetic phenomena in astrophysics. This session will focus on recent advancements and future directions in gamma-ray observations, particularly in the MeV to TeV energy range, with a special emphasis on space-based gamma-ray telescopes.The session will cover a broad range of topics, including the detection of gamma-ray emissions from pulsars, black holes, active galactic nuclei, gamma-ray bursts, and supernova remnants. We will also delve into the role of gamma-ray astronomy in probing the mysteries of dark matter, cosmic ray propagation, and the particle acceleration mechanisms in extreme astrophysical environments.

Extraterrestrial Resources and Moon Station

Convenors: Xiaodong Ma [China], Hyusoung Shin [South Korea], Xuhai Tang [China], Qi Zhao [China]

This session explores the growing potential and challenges of utilizing extraterrestrial resources and establishing sustainable operations on the Moon and other rocky bodies. Experts from leading space agencies, academia, and industry will explore strategies for harnessing in-situ extraterrestrial resources - such as water ice, regolith, and minerals - and the geotechnical challenges involved in excavation, construction, and infrastructure development in the extreme environments. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the properties of planetary soils and rocks, in-situ resource utilization, drilling and sample extraction, and the design of structures for extreme environments. We encourage submissions that present novel methodologies, new results, theoretical advancements, and case studies related to the technical aspects of lunar, Martian, and asteroid exploration. This session will provide a platform for interdisciplinary dialogue, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange to advance our understanding and capabilities in this frontier field.

Apophis 2029

Convenors: Jiangyang Li [China]

Apophis, a 340 m diameter potentially hazardous asteroid, will have a close encounter with Earth at a geocentric distance of ~6 Earth radii, i.e., near the geostationary orbital altitude, on April 13, 2029. This rare encounter will enable an unprecedented opportunity in asteroid science, planetary defense, and public outreach. NASA, ESA, and many other space agencies, research institutes, and commercial aerospace companies have proposed missions, concepts, and plans using ground- or space-based facilities to explore Apophis and its possible changes due to the tidal interaction with Earth during the encounter. In response to this event, the Committee on Peaceful Use of Space of the United Nations has designated the year of 2029 as the International Year of Planetary Defense. A large-scale public engagement is expected for this event. This session welcomes abstracts in all aspects related to the Apophis 2029 encounter opportunity, including science mission concepts, engineering development, ground- and space-based observations, studies of the changes on the asteroid, possible interaction with near-Earth space such as magnetosphere, implications for planetary defense, related international collaborations, and the related public and educational activities, etc.

Landing Site Selection for Mars Sample Return

Convenors: Guangfei Wei [China]，James Head (USA)

As the most Earth-like and closest planet to us, Mars has sparked human curiosity about the existence of life throughout the 60-year history of exploration. Discoveries of potential indicators of habitability—such as clay minerals, seasonal variations in atmospheric methane, and subsurface water ice—suggest that ancient Mars may have been habitable for microbes. Consequently, conducting laboratory studies on returned samples is seen as the next scientific priority in Mars exploration. This objective has driven the development of sample-return missions by the United States and China. The U.S. plans to return Mars samples in 2033, following the successful launch of the Perseverance rover to collect samples beforehand. Similarly, China’s Tianwen-3 mission is scheduled to return Mars samples around 2031. These missions offer an unprecedented opportunity to advance the search for potential evidence of Martian life or its organic precursors. Identifying a landing site that enables scientists to maximize possible discoveries about past and present life on Mars, while providing a scientifically compelling and diverse set of samples for potential return to Earth, is crucial for the success of these missions. In this workshop, we will revisit the selection of landing sites from past missions, share the latest research advancements, present methods for assessing and exploring the potential biological history of Mars, and discuss their implications for future landing site selection. In addition, we will propose candidate landing sites with significant scientific value for the upcoming Tianwen-3 mission.