Dear colleagues,
We are delighted to announce to announce the 2nd African Lunar Symposium, which will take place on Sunday March 22, 2026, as part of this year's African Astronomical Society Annual Conference (AfAS-2026). This symposium is organised in collaboration with NASA's Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) and will feature a series of engaging presentations on lunar science, planetary exploration, and the future of human space exploration of the Moon and beyond.
The program for this symposium is under development, and we are requesting abstracts from the community. We welcome any speaker who has an interest in presenting on lunar science and related planetary science topics, as well as the human exploration of the Moon and beyond.
Please submit your abstract (https://sservi.nasa.gov/africanlunar2026/abstract) no later than 19 January 2026 if you would like to be part of this year's program.
We apologise for the very short turnaround, but there is a 6-week visa processing requirement for Botswana, and we would like to announce the program in time for everyone to submit their applications to meet these requirements.
About SSERVI:
Founded in 2008 as the NASA Lunar Science Institute (NLSI), SSERVI has been a collaborative effort between NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) and Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD). SSERVI bridges the gap between exploration and science by fostering research that directly supports human lunar exploration and vice versa. The Institute actively seeks partnerships with international agencies and institutions, like AfAS, to expand mission development opportunities and provide researchers with broader research avenues.
You must be registered for the AfAS conference to attend the symposium, conference.afasociety.org.
Please register for AfAS-2026 by 15 March 2026, and kindly contact thembela.mantungwa@afasociety.org for more information or any questions.
Thanks,
Thembela Matungwa
