Abstract:Planetary science is a new and interdisciplinary discipline, which was established during the first upsurge of the international deep space explorations in 1960s-1970s of last century. Planetary science is the scientific study of the fundamental characteristics of planets, moons, and comets in the inner and outer of the solar system as well as their formation and evolution processes. Planetary science research mainly depends on deep space exploration, and it is highly interdisplinary and was built from Earth science, space science, and astronomy. The United States is the first country to build the planetary science discipline and the corresponding education system, and their strategy of science leading the deep space exploration makes them the only country in the world with strong planetary science program. Currently, the international deep space exploration is in the middle of second upsurge, and China's deep space exploration program is under rapid development and has obtained remarkable and world-class achievements, which makes China a rising star in the field of deep space exploration. However, the planetary science discipline in China is not built yet and we also do not have corresponding education system, which neither matches nor supports China's deep space exploration strategy. The slow development of the planetary science program has greatly limited China's potential to become a country with powerful deep space exploration capability and strong planetary science program. Thus, the launching of planetary science program as the first level discipline is extremely urgent. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences together with some other universities have capability and advantages to lead the establishment of the first level discipline of planetary science in China and the corresponding education system, which can serve and lead the future deep space exploration and greatly help to promote China to be a country with strong planetary science program. By comparing the history of the development of planetary science program in the United States, we believe that we should take advantage of the philosophy of "The Fusion of Scientific Research and Teaching" in University of Chinese Academy of Sciences and explore a way with China's own characteristics to the creation of the first level discipline of planetary science.