Spectroscopic Sensing for Planetary Exploration and Planetary Defense
A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Optical Sensors".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 1001
Special Issue Editors
Interests: small bodies; spectroscopy; laboratory analysis; extraterrestrial materials analysis and safety transportation; planetary defense; Instrumentation development for planetary exploration
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: small bodies; dust; spectroscopy; dust sensors; planetary defense
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Spectroscopy is a widely used technique for studying the chemical and physical properties of the planetary bodies in our Solar System. Over the past decade, the development of innovative cameras (e.g., HyperScout-AFC/HERA; MCAP/Destiny+; ONC/Hayabusa2; etc.) and advanced visible and infrared spectrometers (e.g., PFS/Mars Express; VIMS/Cassini; VIRTIS/Venus Express; VIR/DAWN, JIRAM/JUICE, NIRS3/Hayabusa2, OVIRS/Osiris-Rex) has significantly increased. These instruments enable planetary scientists to analyze and map the physical and chemical properties of planetary bodies, correlating them with surface morphological features and the dynamic structures of their atmosphere. In particular, spectroscopy plays a crucial role in understanding the composition and evolution of planetary and small hazardous bodies, their dynamics, and other key characteristics. Recently, space missions devoted to planetary protection, such as DART/NASA, HERA/ESA, and RAMSES/ESA, have gained significant interest.
This Special Issue is focused on spectroscopy methods and instruments (i.e., previous and more recent spectrometers and cameras), with particular emphasis given to new challenges in the field of spectroscopic data analysis. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Returned science and lessons learned from spectroscopy analysis and instrumentation.
- New spectroscopy analysis methods.
- Spectroscopy analysis of in-flight data.
- New concepts and innovative spectrometers.
- Micro-spectroscopy analysis of returned samples.
- Spectroscopic measurements in the laboratory with analogous planetary samples.
Dr. Fabrizio Dirri
Dr. Andrea Longobardo
Guest Editors
Dr. Marianna Angrisani
Guest Editor Assistant
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- planetary spectroscopy
- spectrometers
- small bodies
- planetary defense
- spectroscopy methods
- micro-spectroscopy
- laboratory analysis
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