Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (EPN2020-RI)

Horizon 2020 Project ID: 654208 Funded under:  H2020-EU.1.4.1.2. - Integrating and opening existing national and regional research infrastructures of European interest

EPN2020-RI builds on the foundations of successful FP6 and FP7 Europlanet programmes that have established the ‘Europlanet brand’ as a leading forum for European planetary science.  The Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (EPN2020-RI) addresses key scientific and technological challenges facing modern planetary science by providing open access to state-of-the-art research data, models and facilities across the European Research Area. Its Transnational Access activities provide access to world-leading laboratory facilities that simulate conditions found on planetary bodies as well as access to planetary analogue field sites in Ethiopia, Iceland, Morocco and Spain. Its Virtual Access activities provide the community with access to the diverse datasets and visualisation tools needed for comparing and understanding planetary environments in the Solar System and beyond.

By providing the underpinning facilities that European planetary scientists need to conduct their research, EPN2020-RI fosters cooperation and effective synergies between its different components: space exploration, ground-based observations, laboratory and field experiments, numerical modelling, and technology. Through workshops, team meetings, and personnel exchanges EPN2020-RI will broaden, widen, expand and improve the scientific and innovation impact of the infrastructure.  Its results are disseminated to a wide range of stakeholders including industry, policy makers and, crucially, both the wider public and the next generation of researchers and opinion formers, now in education. A major dissemination activity is the annual European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) developed and organised under the auspices of Europlanet projects since 2004. 

As an Advanced Infrastructure EPN2020-RI places particular emphasis on widening the participation of previously under-represented research communities in smaller nation states and amongst the amateur community. EPN2020-RI will therefore build a truly pan-European community that shares common goals, facilities, personnel, data and IP across national boundaries

The Open University is the coordinating Institution of the Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (EPN2020-RI) hosting the Europlanet office whilst also providing access to its state of the art analytical facilities including a NANOSIMS and stable isotope facility  http://www.europlanet-2020-ri.eu/research-infrastructure/field-and-lab-visits/ta3-distributed-sample-analysis-facility-dsaf/nanosims and its Mars Simulation Chamber http://www.europlanet-2020-ri.eu/research-infrastructure/field-and-lab-visits/ta2-distributed-planetary-simulation-facility-dpsf/open.

For more details see the Europlanet website http://www.europlanet-2020-ri.eu/ and/or contact the Europlanet office Europlanet-Office@open.ac.uk.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654208