NEWS & EVENTS

First Announcement

International Lunar Sample Research Symposium 2026

Hong Kong SAR, China

Nov. 20-23, 2026

Website: http://www.ilsrs.org

 

 

After decades of lunar exploration, lunar samples have become the largest treasure returned by human beings, with unlimited potential to disclose the secrets of the Earth-Moon system. So far, lunar samples have been collected by the USA’s Apollo-11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17 missions, the Soviet Union’s Luna 16, 20, 24 missions, and China’s Chang’e-5, 6 missions, and recovered as meteorites. The recent acquisition of the Chang’e-5 samples from the Procellarum KREEP Terrance, the Chang’e-6 samples from the South Pole Aitken basin, and the recent opening of NASA’s Apollo samples in the Apollo Next Generation Sample Analysis program bring a new era of lunar science that is likely to solve the most significant questions that have remained since the Apollo era.

 

To share the recent findings of Chang’e, Apollo, Luna samples, and lunar meteorites, to prepare for future lunar sample analyses such as those returned by China’s and USA’s human lunar missions, and to foster international cooperation between China and their international partners in all lunar science and exploration disciplines beyond samples, the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) jointly propose this International Lunar Sample Research Symposium. It aims to present the most intriguing findings from all kinds of lunar sample studies and beyond, including but not limited to:

1) Lunar Missions

2) Origin of the Moon

3) Lunar Differentiation

4) Lunar Magmatism

5) Lunar Magnetism

6) Lunar Impact Processes and Chronology

7) Lunar Meteorites

8) Lunar Space Weathering

9) Lunar Volatiles

10) Lunar Analogues and Resources

11) New Techniques

12) Special Session: Lunar South Pole Science and Exploration

 

Important Dates

First Announcement: July 1, 2026

Abstract Submission & Registration Open: July 1, 2026

Second Announcement: Sept. 1, 2026

Abstract Submission Close: Oct. 15, 2026

Conference Program Announcement: Nov. 1, 2026

Online Registration Close: Nov. 10, 2026

Conference Presentation: Nov. 21-22, 2026

Arrival: Nov. 20, 2026; Departure: Nov. 23, 2026

 

Host Organizations

Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, The University of Hong Kong

Co-Hosts

GIG-CAS & HKU Joint Laboratory of Chemical Geodynamics, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry

NWU-HKU Joint Center of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Northwest University

Laboratory for Space Research, The University of Hong Kong

 

Venue: Yuet Ming Auditorium, Main Campus, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China

 

Organizing Committee

Chairs of Organizing Committee: Fuyuan Wu, Guochun Zhao

Scientific Organizing Committee: Nicolas Dauphas, James Head, Clive Neal

Local Organizing Committee: Wei Yang, Yuqi Qian

Invitation Letter: Zhaopeng Chen (chenzp@hku.hk)

 

Registration

Full registration: 1,500 CNY, Student registration: 1,000 CNY. Registration fee waiver for low and lower-middle income countries and special requests approved by LOC.

 

We welcome scientists globally to attend this International Lunar Sample Research Symposium and to celebrate the recent discoveries from lunar samples and beyond!