The State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences (SKLPlanets) was established in 2018 with the approval of the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China. As part of China’s initiative to strengthen scientific and technological innovation and research capabilities, SKLPlanets was approved for restructuring and upgrading in January 2025 and officially inaugurated on August 26. As the first state key laboratory in astronomy and planetary sciences, its establishment reflects the nation’s focus on deep space exploration and marks a step in promoting scientific and technological collaboration within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area. It also supports Macau's development as a hub for scientific research cooperation.

SKLPlanets’ core faculty comprises a chair professor, professors, guest professors, associate professors, and assistant professors, totaling 50 members. Together with domestic and international experts and scholars from other institutions, they form a research team of about three hundred people. Professor Zong Qiugang serves as the director of SKLPlanets.