Journal profile · Astronomy & Astrophysics
Planetary and Space Science
ISSN 0032-0633 · eISSN 1873-5088 · Elsevier Ltd · UNITED STATES · Monthly · Founded 1959
Planetary and Space Science: CAS Zone 4 · Physics & Astronomy (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 1.87; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,680; review about 155 days (submission to acceptance, publisher); community-reported acceptance: easy; 110 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Planetary and Space Science is published by Elsevier Ltd and is in Zone 4 of Physics & Astronomy in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Astro and Planetary Science, Ionosphere and magnetosphere dynamics and Planetary Science and Exploration, together about 48.3% of its articles. Its main subfields are Astronomy and Astrophysics. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Planetary and Space Science publishes original articles as well as short communications (letters). Ground-based and space-borne instrumentation and laboratory simulation of solar system processes are included. The following fields of planetary and solar system research are covered:• Celestial mechanics, including dynamical evolution of the solar system, gravitational captures and resonances, relativistic effects, tracking and dynamics• Cosmochemistry and origin, including all aspects of the formation and initial physical and chemical evolution of the solar system• Terrestrial planets and satellites, including the physics of the interiors, geology and morphology of the surfaces, tectonics, mineralogy and dating• Outer planets and satellites, including formation and evolution, remote sensing at all wavelengths and in situ measurements• Planetary atmospheres, including formation and evolution, circulation and meteorology, boundary layers, remote sensing and laboratory simulation• Planetary magnetospheres and ionospheres, including origin of magnetic fields, magnetospheric plasma and radiation belts, and their interaction with the sun, the solar wind and satellites• Small bodies, dust and rings, including asteroids, comets and zodiacal light and their interaction with the solar radiation and the solar wind• Exobiology, including origin of life, detection of planetary ecosystems and pre-biological phenomena in the solar system and laboratory simulations• Extrasolar systems, including the detection and/or the detectability of exoplanets and planetary systems, their formation and evolution, the physical and chemical properties of the exoplanets• History of planetary and space researchThis journal welcomes contributions that support and advance the UN's sustainable development goals, in particular SDG 13 (Climate Action)
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Astronomy & Astrophysics
Editor-in-chief Maria Cristina De SanctisPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 4 in mainland China (about 15%); most named France 6, Italy 5, Mainland China 4, Spain 3, United Kingdom 2 (27 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Astro and Planetary SciencePhysics and Astronomy18.6%
- Ionosphere and magnetosphere dynamicsPhysics and Astronomy15.5%
- Planetary Science and ExplorationPhysics and Astronomy14.3%
- Solar and Space Plasma DynamicsPhysics and Astronomy13.2%
- Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism StudiesBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology6.5%
- Atmospheric Ozone and ClimateEarth and Planetary Sciences5.1%
- Earthquake Detection and AnalysisEarth and Planetary Sciences4.1%
- Stellar, planetary, and galactic studiesPhysics and Astronomy2.9%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Physics & Astronomy Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Physics & Astronomy | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Astronomy & Astrophysics | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Physics & Astronomy Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Physics & Astronomy | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Astronomy & Astrophysics | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Physics & Astronomy Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Physics & Astronomy | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Astronomy & Astrophysics | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 1.87LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 1.9Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 3.8LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 3.8Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.57LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.87LetPub ·
- h-index
- 83LetPub ·
- h-index
- 183OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 6,318OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 1.88OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 5.3%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 32.73%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 95LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 11,815 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 64 | 31 | 7 |
| 2025 | 110 | 46 | 189 |
| 2024 | 100 | 54 | 318 |
| 2023 | 112 | 61 | 509 |
| 2022 | 126 | 68 | 969 |
| 2021 | 143 | 75 | 1,542 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Publisher-reported review time from the journal's website
155 dayssubmission to acceptance · community reports 3–6 weeks
The publisher's own definition applies; dates from this journal's articles in the last 24 months are not available yet, so the publisher's figure is used.
Figures by source
- Average review time (community reports)
- 3–6 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- EasyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 11 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 73 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 155 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 7 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,680 / EUR 3,440 / GBP 2,950 / JPY 456,430 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 3,460 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare5 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Reference style
- Author–date
- Highlights
- Required
- Graphical abstract
- Optional
Article types accepted9, with length limits
- discussionResearch paper, Invited Review article, Discussion, Rapid communication*.Length not stated
- invited review articleResearch paper, Invited Review article, Discussion, Rapid communication*.Length not stated
- letterResearch paper, Invited Review article, Discussion, Rapid communication*.Paper Length: Papers should be written in the most concise form. Occasionally long pape…Length not stated
- original articleResearch paper, Invited Review article, Discussion, Rapid communication*.Paper Length: Papers should be written in the most concise form. Occasionally long pape…Length not stated
- rapid communicationResearch paper, Invited Review article, Discussion, Rapid communication*.Paper Length: Papers should be written in the most concise form. Occasionally long pape…Length not stated
- regular paperResearch paper, Invited Review article, Discussion, Rapid communication*.Paper Length: Papers should be written in the most concise form. Occasionally long pape…Length not stated
- research paperResearch paper, Invited Review article, Discussion, Rapid communication*.Paper Length: Papers should be written in the most concise form. Occasionally long pape…Length not stated
- reviewResearch paper, Invited Review article, Discussion, Rapid communication*.Paper Length: Papers should be written in the most concise form. Occasionally long pape…main text ≤ 3,000 words
- review articleResearch paper, Invited Review article, Discussion, Rapid communication*.Paper Length: Papers should be written in the most concise form. Occasionally long pape…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints, Self-archiving
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized review process Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Self-archiving
Supports UN SDG 13 (Climate Action) Model summary
This journal welcomes contributions that support and advance the UN's sustainable development goals, in particular SDG 13 (Climate Action)
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Country or region
- UNITED STATES
- Language
- Multi-Language
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 1959
- ISSN
- 0032-0633
- Electronic ISSN
- 1873-5088
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Planetary and Space Science
What CAS zone is Planetary and Space Science in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Planetary and Space Science is in Zone 4 of Physics & Astronomy, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Astronomy & Astrophysics. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Physics & Astronomy. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Planetary and Space Science?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 1.87; CiteScore 3.8, h-index 183.
How long does peer review take at Planetary and Space Science?
The publisher reports about 155 days (submission to acceptance); authors report an average review time of 3–6 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Easy”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Planetary and Space Science?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Reference style: Author–date; Highlights: Required; Graphical abstract: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Planetary and Space Science based?
Of the 27 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 4 (about 15%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are France (6), Italy (5) and Mainland China (4). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Planetary and Space Science?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Planetary and Space Science is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Planetary and Space Science open access, and what is the APC?
Planetary and Space Science is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,680.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .