NASA Logo in the header
Planetary Systems Laboratory 
    [
  {
    "orgName": "Sciences and Exploration Directorate",
    "orgCode": "600",
    "parentOrgCode": null,
    "router": {
      "primary": "sci",
      "secondary": null
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Science Proposal Support Office",
    "orgCode": "605",
    "parentOrgCode": "600",
    "router": {
      "primary": "spso",
      "secondary": null
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Computational & Information Sciences and Technology Office",
    "orgCode": "606",
    "parentOrgCode": "600",
    "router": {
      "primary": "cisto",
      "secondary": null
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Networks and IT Security",
    "orgCode": "606.1",
    "parentOrgCode": "606",
    "router": {
      "primary": "cisto",
      "secondary": "it"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "High Performance Computing",
    "orgCode": "606.2",
    "parentOrgCode": "606",
    "router": {
      "primary": "cisto",
      "secondary": "nccs"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Data Science",
    "orgCode": "606.3",
    "parentOrgCode": "606",
    "router": {
      "primary": "cisto",
      "secondary": "dsg"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Scientific Visualization Studio",
    "orgCode": "606.4",
    "parentOrgCode": "606",
    "router": {
      "primary": "cisto",
      "secondary": "svs"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Earth Sciences Division",
    "orgCode": "610",
    "parentOrgCode": "600",
    "router": {
      "primary": "earth",
      "secondary": null
    }
  },
  {
    "orgCode": "610AT",
    "orgName": "Atmospheres",
    "parentOrgCode": "610",
    "router": {
      "primary": "earth",
      "secondary": "AT"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgCode": "610HBG",
    "orgName": "Hydrosphere, Biosphere, and Geophysics",
    "parentOrgCode": "610",
    "router": {
      "primary": "earth",
      "secondary": "HBG"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Global Modeling and Assimilation Office ",
    "orgCode": "610.1",
    "parentOrgCode": "610",
    "router": {
      "primary": "earth",
      "secondary": "gmao"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS)",
    "orgCode": "611",
    "parentOrgCode": "610",
    "router": {
      "primary": "earth",
      "secondary": "giss"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Mesoscale Atmospheric Processes Laboratory",
    "orgCode": "612",
    "parentOrgCode": "610",
    "router": {
      "primary": "earth",
      "secondary": "mesoscale"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Climate and Radiation Laboratory",
    "orgCode": "613",
    "parentOrgCode": "610",
    "router": {
      "primary": "earth",
      "secondary": "climate"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Laboratory",
    "orgCode": "614",
    "parentOrgCode": "610",
    "router": {
      "primary": "earth",
      "secondary": "acd"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Cryospheric Sciences Laboratory",
    "orgCode": "615",
    "parentOrgCode": "610",
    "router": {
      "primary": "earth",
      "secondary": "cryosphere"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Ocean Ecology Laboratory",
    "orgCode": "616",
    "parentOrgCode": "610",
    "router": {
      "primary": "earth",
      "secondary": "oceanecology"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Hydrological Sciences Laboratory",
    "orgCode": "617",
    "parentOrgCode": "610",
    "router": {
      "primary": "earth",
      "secondary": "hydrology"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Biospheric Sciences Laboratory",
    "orgCode": "618",
    "parentOrgCode": "610",
    "router": {
      "primary": "earth",
      "secondary": "biosphere"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Terrestrial Information Systems Laboratory",
    "orgCode": "619",
    "parentOrgCode": "610",
    "router": {
      "primary": "earth",
      "secondary": "terrestrialinfo"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Geodesy and Geophysics Laboratory",
    "orgCode": "61A",
    "parentOrgCode": "610",
    "router": {
      "primary": "earth",
      "secondary": "geodesy"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Astrophysics Science Division",
    "orgCode": "660",
    "parentOrgCode": "600",
    "router": {
      "primary": "astrophysics",
      "secondary": null
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center (HEASARC) Office",
    "orgCode": "660.1",
    "parentOrgCode": "660",
    "router": {
      "primary": "astrophysics",
      "secondary": "heasarc"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Office of Scientific Computing ",
    "orgCode": "660.2",
    "parentOrgCode": "660",
    "router": {
      "primary": "astrophysics",
      "secondary": "osc"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Instrument Development Group",
    "orgCode": "660.3",
    "parentOrgCode": "660",
    "router": {
      "primary": "astrophysics",
      "secondary": "instruments"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Astroparticle Physics Laboratory",
    "orgCode": "661",
    "parentOrgCode": "660",
    "router": {
      "primary": "astrophysics",
      "secondary": "astroparticles"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "X-ray Astrophysics Laboratory",
    "orgCode": "662",
    "parentOrgCode": "660",
    "router": {
      "primary": "astrophysics",
      "secondary": "xray"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Gravitational Astrophysics Laboratory",
    "orgCode": "663",
    "parentOrgCode": "660",
    "router": {
      "primary": "astrophysics",
      "secondary": "gravity"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Observational Cosmology Laboratory",
    "orgCode": "665",
    "parentOrgCode": "660",
    "router": {
      "primary": "astrophysics",
      "secondary": "cosmology"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics Laboratory",
    "orgCode": "667",
    "parentOrgCode": "660",
    "router": {
      "primary": "astrophysics",
      "secondary": "exoplanets"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Heliophysics Science Division",
    "orgCode": "670",
    "parentOrgCode": "600",
    "router": {
      "primary": "heliophysics",
      "secondary": null
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Solar Physics Laboratory",
    "orgCode": "671",
    "parentOrgCode": "670",
    "router": {
      "primary": "heliophysics",
      "secondary": "solar"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Heliospheric Physics Laboratory ",
    "orgCode": "672",
    "parentOrgCode": "670",
    "router": {
      "primary": "heliophysics",
      "secondary": "heliospheric"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Geospace Physics Laboratory",
    "orgCode": "673",
    "parentOrgCode": "670",
    "router": {
      "primary": "heliophysics",
      "secondary": "geospace"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Space Weather Laboratory",
    "orgCode": "674",
    "parentOrgCode": "670",
    "router": {
      "primary": "heliophysics",
      "secondary": "spaceweather"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Ionospheric, Thermospheric, Mesospheric (ITM) Physics Laboratory",
    "orgCode": "675",
    "parentOrgCode": "670",
    "router": {
      "primary": "heliophysics",
      "secondary": "itmphysics"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Solar System Exploration Division",
    "orgCode": "690",
    "parentOrgCode": "600",
    "router": {
      "primary": "solarsystem",
      "secondary": null
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Solar System Exploration Data Services Office",
    "orgCode": "690.1",
    "parentOrgCode": "690",
    "router": {
      "primary": "solarsystem",
      "secondary": "dataarchives"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Astrochemistry Laboratory",
    "orgCode": "691",
    "parentOrgCode": "690",
    "router": {
      "primary": "solarsystem",
      "secondary": "astrochemistry"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Planetary Systems Lab",
    "orgCode": "693",
    "parentOrgCode": "690",
    "router": {
      "primary": "solarsystem",
      "secondary": "planetarysystems"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Planetary Magnetospheres Lab",
    "orgCode": "695",
    "parentOrgCode": "690",
    "router": {
      "primary": "solarsystem",
      "secondary": "magnetospheres"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Planetary Geology, Geophysics & Geochemistry Lab",
    "orgCode": "698",
    "parentOrgCode": "690",
    "router": {
      "primary": "solarsystem",
      "secondary": "p3g"
    }
  },
  {
    "orgName": "Planetary Environments Laboratory ",
    "orgCode": "699",
    "parentOrgCode": "690",
    "router": {
      "primary": "solarsystem",
      "secondary": "atmosenvironments"
    }
  }
]

Overview


Researchers in the Planetary Systems Laboratory study planets, moons, and small bodies from a systems perspective, seeking to understand processes that influence a planet from its interior to its boundaries with outer space, and from its formation to the present time. This research involves observations to measure the composition and dynamics of surfaces and atmospheres combined with modeling necessary to understand observations. This work has proven critical for the NASA Moon2Mars effort. Our research advance lunar exploration in anticipation of Artemis by helping to determine the origin and distribution of water and other volatile elements on the Moon. We help prepare for astronauts on Mars by evaluating atmospheric and climate conditions on Mars essential their safety. Our studies of small bodies, including asteroids and comets, are vital for planetary defense efforts while our observation and modeling of ocean worlds, giant planet systems, and exoplanets make vital progress in astrobiology.

Our branch has experience designing, building, operating, and analyzing data from spaceflight instruments. By comparing observation across the solar system and beyond, we are involved in many comparative planetology endeavors, that help us better understand all planets and the systems processes that they exhibit. Finally, we provide these data to the Planetary Data System to ensure that the broader science community is able to make full use of these datasets.

Contact Us

For general inquiries about the Planetary Systems Lab.

Brittany Griffith

Project Support Specialist

301-286-7215 brittany.griffith@nasa.gov
General inquiries about the scientific programs at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center may be directed to the Office of Public Affairs at 1.301.286.8955.