Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (RI) – building infrastructure for the future

Europlanet TNA Field Trip. Credit: F.Gomez Europlanet TNA Field Trip. Credit: F.Gomez

Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (RI) is a €9.95 million project to address key scientific and technological challenges facing modern planetary science by providing open access to state-of-the-art data, models and facilities across the European Research Area. The project was launched on 1st September 2015 and is funded under the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme. It is led by the Open University, UK, and has 33 beneficiary institutions from 19 European countries. Europlanet 2020 RI provides:

  • Free transnational access to world-class laboratory facilities that simulate conditions found on planetary bodies, as well as analogue fields sites for Mars, Europa and Titan.
  • Virtual access to the diverse datasets and visualisation tools needed for comparing and understanding planetary environments in the Solar System and beyond.
  • Networking activities, including meetings, workshops and personnel exchanges, to strengthen the community, develop industry-academic collaboration, discuss latest scientific results, and set the strategy and goals for planetary science in Europe for decades to come. Our outreach and education programmes engage Europe’s citizens, teachers, students and policy makers with cutting-edge planetary science and exploration.

Saturn's aurora. Credit: NASA/JPL/U. Arizona/U. LeicesterSaturn's aurora. Credit: NASA/JPL/U. Arizona/U. Leicester

As an Advanced Infrastructure, Europlanet 2020 RI places particular emphasis on widening the participation of previously under-represented research communities and stakeholders, including  new EU Member States. Europlanet 2020 RI is therefore building a truly pan-European community that shares common goals, facilities, personnel, data and IP across national boundaries

Careers advice session at EPSC. Credit: Q. Stanley/Europlanet Careers advice session at EPSC. Credit: Q. Stanley/Europlanet

Please add the Europlanet official Acknowledgement below to each publication and dissemination activity
“Europlanet 2020 RI has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654208”