Planetary Research: Advancing Accessibility and Inclusivity through Diamond Open Access Publishing

Kurzfassung

The planetary science community is launching a new journal, Planetary Research, as an alternative to traditional publishing models that profit from publicly funded research. This initiative aims to address accessibility and inclusivity challenges in scientific publishing by adopting the diamond open access model, ensuring no fees for authors or readers. Unlike gold, green, and hybrid open access journals, which impose significant financial barriers on authors through article processing charges or hinder the availability of their research outputs via subscriptions, diamond open access relies on minimal operational costs, achieved through free and open-source software for editorial and archival tasks and volunteer contributions. Scheduled to launch in January 2026, Planetary Research will be governed transparently by members of the planetary science community, providing opportunities for researchers at all career stages to contribute to its development and operations. An open call for editorial board and steering committee members will be announced at the 2025 Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. The journal will cover the full scope of planetary science, including extrasolar systems, exoplanets, spacecraft and Earth-based observatory data, laboratory studies of extraterrestrial materials, theoretical and numerical modeling, and terrestrial analog research. Original research will be published as long-format articles or short letters. Peer reviews as well as assessments and recommendations by the editorial team will be linked to the published article on the journal website By eliminating financial barriers, the journal aims to democratize access and dissemination of scientific knowledge, promote inclusivity, and foster collaboration. To ensure sustainability, Planetary Research will leverage volunteer-driven editorial processes, open-source platforms for managing both the peer review process and journal website, as well as low-cost infrastructure for web hosting and digital object identifiers (DOIs). Geoscience diamond open access journals typically report annual operational costs of approximately USD 1000, demonstrating the feasibility of this model. We are currently assessing funding possibilities to cover these operational costs and ensure the perenniality of the journal. The journal will also prioritize outreach to both the scientific community and the general public with the creation of a volunteer-driven media team, emphasizing the societal value of open access to planetary research as community participation is central to Planetary Research. Everyone is welcome to join our pre-launch discussions that are hosted on an online forum accessible via the pre-launch website (https://planetary-research-journal.online/). This open forum will remain active post-launch, allowing members to engage with the steering committee, editorial board, and media team, in order to adapt and evolve the journal in response to community needs. By embracing the principles of accessibility, inclusivity, and transparency, Planetary Research seeks to set a new standard in scientific publishing, ensuring that the benefits of planetary science are freely available to all.