Dear MSA colleagues, I would like to draw your attention to three planetary geoscience special sessions at the upcoming Geological Association of Canada-Mineralogical Association of Canada (GAC-MAC) Annual Meeting being held in Ottawa May 11-14: https://event.fourwaves.com/ottawa2025/pages. The abstract deadline is February 16, 2025. Special Session SPACE_SS_01: Insights into solar system geology from astromaterials and space missions Chairs: Chris Herd, Gordon Osinski, Roberta Flemming Astromaterials - in the form of meteorites and samples returned to Earth by space missions - provide a wealth of information about the origin, formation and evolution of our Solar System. A vast number of new meteorites are being added to the world's collections, which provide opportunities for further study. At the same time archetypal meteorites benefit from additional studies using modern methods. Samples of asteroids now include those returned from asteroid Bennu via the NASA OSIRIS-REx mission and from asteroid Ryugu from the JAXA Hayabusa2 mission; both are related to known carbonaceous chondrite groups - meteorites that contain a high proportion of carbon, including prebiotic compounds, making them important samples for understanding the origin of life. Samples of Mars include meteorites delivered to Earth by impact ejection, and rocks collected by the NASA Perseverance rover mission for future return to Earth. This session will highlight current results on the geology of asteroids, Mars and other planetary bodies, with an emphasis on sample-based research, including analogue materials. Special Session SPACE_SS_02: Planetary geosciences: Integrating geological mapping with geophysics and modelling Chairs: Hafida El Bilali, Richard Ernst This session brings together the ‘worlds’ of geology (mapping and analysis), geophysical/ remote sense datasets, and modelling for more robust interpretations. We also welcome abstracts presenting insights from inter-planet comparisons. Examples include: 1) the absence of erosion on Venus reveals the surface expression of basaltic volcanism, 2) the mechanisms driving climate change on Earth (e.g. large igneous provinces, and bolide impact) have potential relevance to both Venus and Mars, and 3) the fast-growing field of extra-solar planets needs grounding from characterization of planetary bodies in our solar system Special Session SPACE_SS_03: Lunar geoscience: A new era of lunar science and exploration for Canada Chairs: Gordon Osinski, Roberta Flemming, Chris Herd, Myriam Lemelin These are exciting times for Canada, and the world, in terms of lunar exploration. It has been 53 years since humans last walked on the surface of the Moon, and the time has come to go back. The Artemis program, of which Canada is a part, aims to send humans back to the Moon and then on to Mars. Scheduled to launch in late 2026, Artemis III will land humans in the south polar region of the Moon to conduct geology and return with samples. In the meantime, a flotilla of robotic spacecraft are allowing scientists to study the Moon in new ways, from the surface and from orbit. In another exciting first, Canada is leading its first ever planetary exploration mission, one that aims to send a rover to the south polar region of the Moon. Lunar meteorites and Apollo samples also continue to reveal new secrets about the origin and evolution of the Moon, and of the solar system. The goal of this session is to showcase the exciting lunar science being conducted across Canada and internationally and to highlight new opportunities for more traditional Earth-focused geoscientists in the upcoming decade. We welcome submissions addressing any aspect of lunar science, from geophysical studies of the interior, to remote sensing studies of the surface, to analysis of meteorites and Apollo samples. Abstracts focused on technologies aimed at conducting lunar science and analogue missions are also welcome. Looking forward to seeing some of you in Ottawa, Canada's Capital City, in May, during their Tulip Festival! Best wishes, Roberta Flemming Roberta L. Flemming, Professor Department of Earth Sciences Institute for Earth and Space Exploration Western University London, ON, N6A 5B7 Phone: 519-661-3143; Fax: 519-661-3198 email: rflemmin@uwo.ca