Astromat

The Astromaterials Data System, NASA’s designated archive for laboratory analytical data of returned samples, will host a workshop in conjunction with the 88th Annual Meteoritical Society Meeting on August 9, 2026 in Frankfurt, Germany.

This 2-part, free workshop aims to help researchers navigate the landscape of astromaterials sample data, from finding and accessing lab analytical data, to generating Open Science Data Management Plans (OSDMPs) for funding proposals, to documenting their own lab analytical data following community best practices, to depositing and archiving data in compliance with funders’ and journals’ policies. We specifically aim at early-career researchers to help them develop skills in digital cosmochemistry and make them aware of the resources available to support their data management.

Visit MetSoc's event page for draft agenda and registration

Data Management Bootcamp for Astromaterials Researchers:

01. Data Management 101 for astromaterials samples (1:00 PM – 3:00 PM)

02. Method-specific documentation of analytical protocols (3:30 PM – 5:00 PM)

Details:

Sunday, 9 August 2026

1 :00 PM – 5:00 PM

Location:

Senckenberg Natural History Museum

Jügel House (Jügelhaus)1

Mertonstraße 17

60325 Frankfurt am Main

Dear Astromat Newsletter Subscribers,

Here are the latest updates about the Astromaterials Data System. Please feel free to contact us with any questions at info@astromat.org.

Sign up for the Astromat Newsletter here.

Growing Content of Astromat

Over 3,800 datasets from the OSIRIS-REx Sample Analysis have been archived in the Astromat Data Archive (ADA) so far. Ca. 40 datasets were submitted to the AstroRepo over the past year containing mostly data for Apollo samples (including ANGSA) and meteorites. The Astromat Synthesis has grown to 2.5 million analytical measurements.

Connect with Astromat at LPSC 2026

Please stop by the Astromat booth at the LPSC 2026. We will be in the poster hall throughout the conference. We hope that our booth will serve as a meeting point during the week and we encourage you to come find us for any questions you may have regarding access to astromaterials samples data, data management planning, publishing data at Astromat, and more. We also look forward to getting your feedback on the Astromat services and how we can improve to better support your research.

New Astromat Data Submission Interface Launched

Astromat has launched a new data submission interface as part of an effort to consolidate and modernize our archiving systems. The updated platform supports a more streamlined curation and review process, helping submitted datasets move more efficiently toward approval and publication. This initial release establishes a unified framework for managing sample and analytical metadata and will continue to evolve through community feedback. We welcome your input as we refine and improve the submission experience.

Best,

Astromat Team

AstroSearch v4.0 – Release Date: March 2025

The Astromat Synthesis Search Application (AstroSearch) v4 has been migrated and integrated into a unified repository that houses multiple shared components. It now features a fresh interface, enhanced filters, instant results, and effortless exports with new options to customize outputs. Key changes are highlighted below:

Improvements of major functionalities

Configuration

• Improved query state management by adding NUQs library
• Modified schema to align with default API results and improved request functions for results
• Enhanced translation for all public text (i18n) 

Search Results

• Updated datagrid table (MUI) for improved data organization for user experience;
• Included user-enabled contextual text bubble (tooltip) added for greater information on chemical variable value cells;
• Enriched customization features for user preference including custom pagination, custom table footer, custom export action, and more;

Exporting Search Results

• Streamlined user actions by enabling modal screens for interacting with data and metadata selection, chemical variable information, pre-export information, and data-collection;

Improved Filters

• Enriched the user experience for basic and advanced filters;
• Enabled multi-dimensional search query to yield more dexterous results;
• Included input components for: multi-selection, text-input, and matrix selection;

Updates to API & Technical Components

• Updated API with new endpoints, updated vocabularies, page-related endpoints, and some refactoring to streamline indexing and exports of dynamoDB submissions;
• Added transformation functions and fetching to the export-service to aid in metadata and variable compilation;
• Applied changes to index schema to improve efficiency of the main index;
• Maintain known issues and support workarounds while pursuing permanent solutions in alignment with development roadmap.

Astromat is proud to have achieved certification as a Trustworthy Data Repository from the CoreTrustSeal Standards and Certification Board. 

The rigorous application and certification process provided an invaluable opportunity to strengthen our data repository by aligning with the standards and requirements of the CoreTrustSeal standards and requirements. We are honored to join a diverse and robust community of certified data repositories and remain committed to continually advancing the trustworthiness of our services in support of users worldwide. We extend our sincere gratitude to all Astromat team members and collaborators who contributed to this achievement.

CoreTrustSeal is an international, community-based, non-governmental, and non-profit organization that promotes sustainable and trustworthy data infrastructures. Established in 2013, CoreTrustSeal emerged from a collaborative effort between the Data Seal of Approval (DSA) and the World Data System of the International Science Council (WDS), under the umbrella of the Research Data Alliance (RDA). CoreTrustSeal’s certification requirements provide a comprehensive framework for assessing data repositories, covering critical areas such as technology and infrastructure, security, data management, continuity of services, and governance. For more information on CoreTrustSeal certification and its requirements, visit www.coretrustseal.org.

Dear Astromat Newsletter Subscribers,

We know that not everyone in our community can make it to Goldschmidt 2025 in Prague, especially in a year when many are navigating tight budgets and limited travel. For those who are attending, we want to make sure you're in the loop on a few key events where Astromat will be sharing updates, resources, and conversations around geochemical data and sample return science.

If you're headed to the meeting, come find us here:

🔹 Workshop: FAIR Global Databases in Geochemistry and their Applications

Sunday, 6 July | 08:30–17:00 CEST

Room 344 (3rd Floor, Prague Congress Centre)

🔹 Exhibit Booth: EarthChem & Astromat: Find, Access & Publish Geochemical Data

Sunday, 6 July | 17:00–19:00 CEST (Icebreaker Reception)

Monday–Thursday | 10:00–19:30 CEST

Booth 18 (Exhibit Hall)

🔹 Oral Presentation: Maximizing Return on Investment of Sample-Return Missions: Astromat’s Services to Ensure Long-term Access and Reusability of Astromaterials Sample Data — Kerstin A. Lehnert

Tuesday, 8 July | 11:15 CEST

South Hall 3A (3rd Floor)

🔹 Town Hall: Call to Action: Toward Resilient Databases in Geochemistry

Wednesday, 9 July | 13:00–14:00 CEST

Club A (1st Floor)

We’ll share highlights from the week afterward, so if you're not attending, you’ll still be able to catch up on what matters.

Best,

Astromat Team