More than ten thousand tons of extraterrestrial objects, ranging in size from a few microns to tens of meters in diameter, enter Earth’s atmosphere annually. A small fraction of these objects yields free samples of extraterrestrial matter—meteorites—for laboratory study. The majority of these objects burn up or ablate completely in the Earth’s atmosphere, appearing as visible meteors in the night sky. By recording meteor activity and modeling the process of ablation, we can directly measure the flux of small planetary impactors. This provides ground truth for estimating present cratering rates and planetary surface ages.

The rapid advancement of observational and modeling techniques has elevated meteor science to one of the primary avenues for investigating the nature and origin of interplanetary matter and its parent bodies. This session aims to serve as a platform for presenting fundamental results and innovative concepts in this field, while also informing the broader planetary science community about the interdisciplinary impact of ongoing and future research efforts.

Asteroid surveys play a crucial role in systematically scanning the sky, enabling the discovery and characterization of asteroids. Surveys such as PanSTARRS, Catalina Sky Survey, and Spacewatch, have significantly contributed to identifying Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) and other asteroids. NEOWISE observations have been instrumental in determining the sizes and thermal properties of numerous asteroids, while the ATLAS survey, designed to study potentially hazardous objects, has also enhanced our understanding of the main-belt population. The integration of photometric data from multiple surveys has yielded spin and shape models for numerous asteroids. The combined efforts of surveys like SDSS, SkyMapper, VISTA, and the Gaia mission contribute to taxonomic classifications on the population level.
Despite the valuable panoramic view provided by these surveys, there is a continued need for detailed ground-based observations. In particular survey spectrophotometry is limited to specific sets of wavelengths, and sparse photometry yields coarse spin, shape, and phase curve models. Therefore, for a more in-depth analysis, a focus on modeling asteroids based on ground-based observations, in conjunction with survey data, becomes imperative. Furthermore survey data allow for scanning for unusual or peculiar objects requiring detailed analysis and pinpointing objects requiring ground-based follow-up. Medium to small telescopes (< 2-3 m) play a vital role in this complementary, long-term follow-up, demonstrating that very large radars and high angular resolution telescopes are not always necessary. They are also ideal for promptly characterizing newly discovered Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) and objects on the risk list. Data mining archives for astrometry and photometry provides another valuable data source to enhance follow-up efforts. Coordinating large observing campaigns necessitates a network of telescopes, a task made more manageable with remote and robotic access capabilities. Software development for automatic tasking of these telescopes is essential for an efficient follow-up.
In this session, we aim to emphasize the importance of integrating ground-based observations for a more thorough understanding of asteroids. While large surveys provide a broad overview, detailed ground-based data are indispensable for refining models and gaining deeper insights into the diverse characteristics of individual asteroids, asteroid populations and the processes that sculpt them. In this session we strive for a deeper understanding of asteroids with a major focus on ground-based observations.

Small body surfaces give us meaningful insights into past and possibly present processes. They tell tales about a body’s origin, space environment, impact events, and even subsurface materials that loom onto the surface occasionally. Recent space missions to asteroids and comets have enabled the observation of the surfaces of small bodies with a variety of instruments including high-resolution and multispectral cameras as well as thermal emission spectrometers, x-ray spectrometers, laser altimeters, magnetometers, radiometers, and others.

By analyzing and interpreting these datasets in terms of small body surface geology, geomorphology, composition, and other physical parameters, we can learn about the development of their regoliths and the nature of their (sub-)surface materials, such as volatile contents or internal structure. Impact cratering, mass wasting, volatile outgassing, and other events can transport subsurface materials onto the surface and enable us to indirectly access subsurface materials and conditions.

This session invites presentations of small body surface-related research, including but not limited to geological and geomorphological observations, spectral analyses, mappings, models as well as statistics and their combined interpretations. We furthermore support comparative analyses between planet or moon surfaces and small body surfaces. Welcome are both data of past and ongoing space missions.

This session covers two general related topic analysis of binary and multiple systems, and analysis of gravitational aggregates, their characterisation, formation, evolution, etc. Models and observations from ground to space, from numerical to laboratory experiments.
It is dedicated to discussions and recent research on granular systems applicable to the study of small bodies (asteroids comets, irregular satellites) as gravitational aggregates. New development on modelling, numerical simulations, laboratory and zero-G experiments are welcome. Physical and dynamical features of binary/multiple asteroids and asteroid pairs, their formation and evolution, will also be addressed. Recent results from space missions (sample returns, kinetic impactors), ground-based & space-based surveys, occultations, astrometry, spectroscopy, and photometry are welcome. An opportunity to discuss future research plans and needs for further progressing in the field.

The session includes results from sample return missions, in particular those achieved by the recent OSIRIS-Rex (NASA), Hayabusa2 (JAXA), and Chang’e 5 (CNSA). The aim is to stimulate the discussion on the perspective of future sample return missions, in terms of both sciencific return and technological value, specifically in view of NASA’s Mars Sample Return mission.
The session is opened, but not restricted, to the following topics: a) new results from in-orbit observations of sample return missions; b) new laboratory analyses on samples returned from OSIRIS-REx, Hayabusa2, Chang’e 5 and past missions (e.g., Luna, Apollo, Stardust, Hayabusa); c) preliminary activities for the Mars Sample Return mission; d) preparation, performed studies and expected results from future sample return missions (e.g., Mars Sample Return, Tianwen2); e) new sample return mission concepts; f) technologies and methods for sample return; g) technologies and concepts for curation facilities; h) technologies and concepts for handling, transport and analysis of returned samples.

The asteroids in particular and the asteroid-comet-dwarf planet continuum in general bear the signature of the birth of the solar system. Their observed properties allow for testing theories regarding the evolution of the solar system's planetary objects and of their prospective development. Additional important insights into this exciting field of research are provided by the laboratory investigations of the samples delivered to the Earth in the form of meteorites and by sophisticated numerical models.
The session will gather researchers of different communities for a better understanding of the evolution and properties of small bodies, ranging from planetesimals or cometesimals to icy moons, and including meteorite parent bodies. It will address recent progresses made on physical and chemical properties of these objects, their interrelations and their evolutionary paths by observational, experimental, and theoretical approaches.

We welcome contributions on the studies of the processes on and the evolution of specific parent bodies of meteorites, investigations across the continuum of small bodies, including comets and icy moons, ranging from local and short-term to global and long-term processes, studies of the surface dynamics on small bodies, studies of exogenous and endogenous driving forces of the processes involved, as well as statistical and numerical impact models for small bodies observed closely within recent space missions (e.g., AIDA, Hayabusa2, Lucy, New Horizons, OSIRIS-REx).

The goal of this session is to cover numerical simulations and relevant laboratory investigations related to the Small Bodies (comets, KBOs, rings, asteroids, meteorites, dust), their formation and evolution, and the instruments of their exploration. This session is specially focused on the interdisciplinary approach in the development of models (formal descriptions of physical phenomena), experiments (on ground and in micro-gravity), and mathematical simulations (computational methods and algorithms of solution) of various astrophysical phenomena: (i) dusty gas cometary atmospheres; (ii) volcanic activity on icy satellites (e.g. Enceladus and Io); (iii) planetary body formation (e.g. via pebbles growth), and planetesimal dynamics.

This session will include an introduction and discussion of new and/or existing laboratory studies in simulated space-like environments and models, experimental techniques, computational methods that can address the results of analytical, experimental and numerical analysis (with respect to computational methods and algorithms of solution) on the above described studies.

Abstracts on thermophysical evolution models of small bodies interiors as well as on the modeling of atmosphere and exosphere are welcome.

The section "Advances in Photopolarimetry of Solar System Small Bodies" aims to showcase recent developments and breakthroughs in photopolarimetry applied to small bodies within our Solar system and beyond. Photopolarimetry serves as a robust tool for uncovering the physical, structural, and compositional, properties of small bodies, such as asteroids, comets, and moons. We encourage discussions on the latest findings and methodologies to foster collaboration and push the
boundaries of our understanding in characterizing small body surfaces and atmospheres, as well as dust in the solar system, through the lens of photopolarimetry. We invite abstract submissions on advancements in observational, numerical, and laboratory methods for extracting relevant information from imagery, photometry, and polarimetry. Topics may include reference laboratory databases, photometric and polarimetric modeling, software, and web service applications.

Characterization of cometary nuclei and their dust, gas and plasma environment
is being done through several in-situ and remote observations techniques.
In the context of the Rosetta mission and missions to small bodies including
Comet Interceptor, and international observing campaigns
of bright comets such as C/2021 A1 (Leonard), C/2022 E3 (ZTF) and
12P/Pons-Brooks, we solicit presentations on recent investigations.

Abstracts on optical, infrared, radio,... remote observations of comets and
active bodies, from the ground as well as space observatories such as JWST, as
well as concerning recent results from in-situ (e.g. mass spectrometry) missions
are welcome.

This session aims to bring together the community working on comets.
Comets are primitive bodies, and therefore their detailed characterization is a key objective to probe the early stages of Solar System formation. The combined efforts from Earth-based observations, space missions, and modelling have revealed a class of bodies very broad in terms of physical and dynamical properties.
We invite contributions from all related topics, covering findings about all aspects of comets, as regarding their nucleus, coma, dust, and plasma properties, as well as international programs for their observations. We welcome presentations that explore and model data collected by past space missions, as well as presentations of upcoming ones, such as the ESA-led Comet Interceptor.
We encourage contributions that explore comet formation and evolution, in relation to general models of the Solar System, fostering lively discussions and collaborations between colleagues working on similar problems for different classes of objects (e.g. dust release from Active Asteroid vs Jupiter Family Comets vs outbursts of Centaurs). In particular, we encourage contributions that explore the continuum of small bodies and the overlap between different populations and look forward to an exciting set of talks about ground based observations and recent/future space missions.

New discoveries, spectroscopic, photometric, dynamical, occultation or radiometric studies: Our knowledge of the physical, compositional and dynamical properties of the objects in the outer solar system is constantly improving.
The goal of this session is to highlight recent results that are providing fundamental clues about properties of individual objects, families, or groups, about the formation and early stages of the solar system, knowledge which is considered as key input for understanding exo-systems.

Icy ocean worlds, comets and asteroids offer a rich, diverse array of targets to explore that address science questions ranging from origin and evolution to habitability and even biosignature searches. The Cassini mission discovered spectacular findings about the chemistry, physics and geology of Saturn’s moon Enceladus. JUICE and Europa Clipper will shed light on Jupiter’s moons. The Stardust mission returned samples from comet 81P/Wild2 and Hayabusa2 and OSIRIS-REx recently returned samples from carbonaceous asteroids Ryugu and Bennu.
To fully exploit space mission data and prepare for upcoming missions, laboratory experiments are an essential part of calibrating instruments on board future spacecraft, verifying data returned by missions and informing numerical models of the diverse environments present on these bodies.
Analyzing returned samples from asteroids and comets substantially furthers our understanding of these small bodies in the Solar System. Both carbonaceous asteroids and comets are potentially analogous to the rocky interiors and primordial icy crusts of icy moons.
We seek contributions discussing laboratory experiments or studies with a laboratory component, including the analysis of returned samples, and their applications to icy ocean worlds, comets or asteroids.

Understanding the formation and evolution of the earliest phase of planet formation - the disk phase - is crucial to planetary science. Over the past decade, significant progress has been made in observing protoplanetary disks, understanding the gas and dust dynamics, their chemical composition, and forming the first gravitationally-bound bodies therein, called planetesimals. The planetesimals are precursors of today's asteroids and comets. Thus, the Solar System provides important constraints from the architecture and chemistry of small body populations (asteroids, comets, Kuiper-belt objects) and the meteorites. These measurements inform when and where planetesimals formed and how they might have evolved. Thus, they are critical to constraining the Solar System and planet formation models more generally.
In this session, we welcome contributions on the following topics:
1) observations of disks and their properties,
2) theoretical models of disks (their formation and evolution),
3) models of planetesimal formation and evolution (thermal, collisional, dynamical, etc.),
4) links between planetesimals, small bodies (asteroids, comets, KBOs, etc.), meteorites, and samples returned by space missions.
5) links between the chemical composition of small bodies and that of ices and gas in protoplanetary disks
This interdisciplinary session will serve as a platform to exchange recent results regarding all of the aspects of planetesimal formation in the proto-solar and other protoplanetary disks. We look to build synergy between astrochemistry, star and planet formation models, cosmochemistry, and Solar System research.

Most of our knowledge about the origin and the evolution of the Solar System comes from our ability to decipher the processes that formed and processed planetary materials. These materials have diverse physical and chemical properties (volatile/refractory, organic/inorganic compounds) and are mixed in various ways. In the laboratory, the analyses of cosmo-materials coming from these objects (that felt on Earth or returned by space missions) and analogues reproducing some of their properties and evolutions, are both essential to understand the history of small bodies.

Natural and synthetic analogues of planets and small bodies materials can be produced and/or processed to simulate how their compositions and structures may evolve, and their chemical/physical properties can be measured. The results of these laboratory experiments are essential for the interpretations of measurements obtained by ground-based observations and space missions. They are also necessary for planning and preparing future in situ and sample-return space missions, ensuring their success in collecting valuable samples and data.

In this session, we invite submissions related to the analysis of cosmo-materials and to the production, evolution and analysis of planetary and small bodies analogues (interpretation of chemical/physical properties, predictions, preparation of analytical tools or space instruments, preparation of analytical chain for sample return analyses, etc.). Laboratory experiments necessary to interpret data of any past, present and future space missions will be particularly encouraged.

Electromagnetic scattering phenomena play a key role in determining the properties of Solar System surfaces based on observations using different techniques and in a variety of wavelengths ranging from the ultraviolet to the radio. This session will promote a general advancement in the exploitation of observational and experimental techniques to characterize radiative transfer in complex particulate media. Abstracts are solicited on advances in numerical methods to extract relevant information from imagery, photometry, and spectroscopy in solid phase, reference laboratory databases, photometric modeling, interpreting features on planetary surfaces, mixing/unmixing methods, AI and machine learning, and software and web service applications.

This merged session welcomes a broad range of presentations about future missions and instrumentation. We encourage presentations on new Planetary science mission architectures and associated technologies, as well as dedicated instrumentation that can be developed for these applications.

In October 2024, the ESA Hera mission will be launched to reach the binary asteroid Didymos in fall 2026, which will provide detailed measurements of the outcome of the first asteroid deflection experiment successfully achieved by the NASA DART mission. Studies of mission concepts to visit Apophis in 2029 are ongoing (such as RAMSES at ESA), while NASA OSIRIS-APEX will visit the asteroid a few days after its closes approach to Earth on April 13, 2029. The NASA NEOSurveyor spacecraft, to be launched in 2028, LSST and other observational programs will increase drastically the number of discoveries of NEOs. Planetary defense is thus a field that keeps growing with a wide range of activities, from active space missions to space mission concepts and observations from the ground and from space, numerical modeling of asteroid properties and of deflection techniques as well as public communication. This session will present recent progresses and perspectives.

Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the development of computer software capable of performing tasks that would typically require human intelligence. Machine learning (ML) is a branch of computer science that explores algorithms that can learn from data. It is primarily divided into supervised learning, where the algorithm is presented with examples of labeled entries and the goal is to learn a general rule that maps inputs to outputs, and unsupervised learning, where no label is provided to the learning algorithm, allowing it to autonomously identify structures. Deep learning is a branch of machine learning based on multiple layers of artificial neural networks, which are computing systems inspired by the biological neural networks found in animal brains. This session aims to provide a forum for discussing recent advancements in the applications of AI and ML to planetary science.

Impact processes have been shaping the Solar System, and modifying planetary surfaces and small bodies from its birth until today. This session aims at understanding impact processes in terms of impact cratering and ejecta dynamics, crater distribution and crater chronology, material mixing, shock metamorphism and other geochemical consequences, ejecta-atmosphere interactions, impact induced climatic and environmental effects, and biotic responses.

We welcome oral and poster presentations across this broad range of studies about natural or artificial impact collision phenomena on planetary surfaces and small bodies. In particular, abstracts on impact modelling, impact laboratory experiments, geologic and structural mapping, petrographic and geochemical analysis of impact products, as well as remote sensing observations from space missions to planets and small bodies.

Impacts also have a technical application for Planetary Defence, therefore we invite contributions from studies related to DART experiments and the upcoming HERA mission.

Shape, gravity field, orbit, tidal deformation, and rotation state are fundamental geodetic parameters of any planetary object. Measurements of these parameters are prerequisites for spacecraft navigation and mapping from orbit as well as modelling of planetary internal structure and evolution. This session welcomes contributions from all aspects of planetary geodesy, including relevant theories, observations, planned measurement concepts as well as modeling efforts in application to planets, satellites, asteroids and comets.

Ionospheres are a fundamental part of planetary and cometary atmospheres that are formed by solar radiation and are affected by a myriad of different processes, such as space weather activity or neutral atmosphere variations. Moreover, ionospheres play an important role in controlling the dynamics of the system, as they are the link between the neutral atmosphere, exosphere and surrounding plasma environments (e.g. the solar wind for Mars, Venus, Pluto and comets, and the Kronian magnetosphere for Titan). Understanding how each unmagnetized body reacts to all these factors is a key in comparative aeronomy because although a priori all of them have a general similar behaviour, they also have scientifically important differences caused by their different natures.

This session focuses on the ionospheres of Mars, Venus, Pluto, Titan, and comets, and solicits abstracts concerning remote and in situ data analysis, modelling studies, instrumentation and mission concepts. Abstracts on planetary flybys, such as the BepiColombo and Solar Orbiter flybys to Venus, are also welcome. Topics may include, but are not limited to, day and night side ionospheric variability, sources and influences of ionization, ion-neutral coupling, current systems, comparative ionospheric studies, and solar wind-ionosphere interactions and responses of the ionized and neutral regimes to transient space weather events. Abstracts on general plasma and escape processes are also welcome.

The early history of many rocky planetary bodies is dominated by differentiation into a silicate magma ocean, and an iron-alloy core. This is then followed by the solidification of the magma ocean and the first stages of crustal formation, as well as the formation of heterogeneities that may be preserved until the present day. Additionally, during this time, these bodies are still able to accrete new material, which can further alter their composition, size, and structure. Therefore, the accretionary and differentiation history of a rocky body has a profound influence on its subsequent geodynamic evolution, leading to divergent evolutions of planetary bodies within the same solar system e.g. the terrestrial planets. However, the complexity of the physical and chemical processes at play, as well as the paucity of samples, makes elucidating the conditions of late accretion and differentiation a present challenge.

This session invites contributions from all fields of planetary sciences that enlighten our understanding of the influence of late accretion and the physicochemical processes and conditions of planetary differentiation on the early evolution of rocky bodies, both in our own solar system, and in exoplanetary system. We especially encourage submissions from early career researchers.