From 2020-2024, Europlanet 2024 RI’s programmes of Transnational Access (TA), Virtual Access (VA), Joint Research Activities (JRA) and Networking Activities (NA) achieved all the project’s objectives to deliver key services to the planetary community.
The TA programme provided 2077 days of access, enabling 293 researchers to visit a worldwide suite of world-leading field and laboratory facilities and carry out 197 projects. Upgrades and staff training were carried out at 6 TA facilities through a JRA programme, with 5 projects incorporating additional work made possible due to reduced operations at facilities during the pandemic.
VA programmes opened up hundreds of state-of-the-art data services, tools and archives to support planetary research and assist mission teams in planning operations. The SPIDER (Sun Planet Interactions Digital Environment on Request) VA activity implemented six services for modelling planetary environments and solar wind interactions through a run-on-request infrastructure and associated databases. SPIDER services have been used during BepiColombo flybys of Venus and Mercury, and in coordinated observations between Solar Orbiter and Bepicolombo, resulting in several high-impact publications. SPIDER services were also used during the Juno Ganymede flyby of June 2021 and these results are being used in planning for the JUICE and Europa Clipper missions.
The VESPA (Virtual European Solar and Planetary Access) network of interoperable data services now connects 89 services through a central portal, with more than 290 services listed in the International Virtual Observatory Alliance (IVOA) registry, and further services continuing to be added beyond the end of the project. The EPN-TAP protocol and associated metadata vocabulary has been approved by the IVOA as the international standard to share and access Solar System data in the Virtual Observatory (VO).
The development of the GMAP Geological Mapping service has led to the establishment of new collaborations around the world and a community of mappers initiated through a Winter School that, in its fourth edition, attracted over 600 participants from 75 countries. An atlas dedicated to geological maps of different environments on diverse planetary and small bodies has been produced using contributions from the community.
The Machine Learning (ML) JRA developed ten tools for science cases submitted by the community. The services, codes and scripts are accessible through a public portal and GitHub.
The Coordination of Ground-based Observations NA offered professional and amateur observers access to small telescope facilities in support of planetary missions. The Europlanet Telescope Network currently links 17 facilities located around the globe and awarded 256.5 observing nights during the project.
Europlanet 2024 RI’s facilities and services have been used by researchers, industry, amateur astronomers and students from over 75 countries around the world. NAs have targeted key audiences, including researchers in under-represented states, early careers, the media, industrial partners, policymakers and educators to foster co-operation and extend the user base of Europlanet 2024 RI. Global Collaboration initiatives have been supported through an Ambassadors programme and workshops in Africa and South America. Policy engagement activities included a Dinner Debate and an exhibition in the European Parliament, as well as embassy-hosted events and conference sessions, which have been attended by MEPs, representatives of the European Commission, the European Space Agency and leading space industry.
Early career researchers have been supported through bursaries, a training and education portal, and a mentoring service, which has matched 71 pairs of mentors and mentees to date.
Results from Europlanet 2024 RI have been successfully disseminated through the Europlanet Media Centre and social media channels. The project has also developed and disseminated educational resources for schools.
The full range of the project's activities were advertised during the Europlanet Science Congress, as well as multiple international conferences, workshops and journal publications.
