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Policies, Ethics & Journal Information

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About the Journal

Latin American Journal of Astronautics (LAJA) is a peer-reviewed, open-access scientific journal published by Intinauta Research Center. The journal is devoted to astronautics research, space systems, applied technological development, and academically grounded innovation in Latin America, with special attention to university-based research ecosystems and emerging scientific communities.LAJA provides a fee-free platform for the dissemination of rigorous and original scholarly work in astronautics-related fields. The journal welcomes contributions from established researchers, university faculty, undergraduate and graduate thesis authors, serious student research groups, university laboratories, emerging research centers, and independent research initiatives whose work meets scholarly standards.LAJA is committed to academic quality, editorial independence, research integrity, and broad international accessibility.

Aims and Scope

LAJA publishes original and relevant contributions in astronautics, space science, engineering, and applied research, especially those connected to the development of space capacity in Latin America and other emerging scientific environments.The journal’s main thematic areas include:
  • Astronautics & Space Exploration
  • Orbital Systems & Mission Design
  • Space Technologies & Applications
Topics may include, but are not limited to, propulsion, orbital mechanics, spacecraft systems, satellite technologies, guidance, navigation and control, remote sensing, avionics, space materials, small satellites, mission design, simulation, testing, manufacturing, applied computational methods, and university-led space innovation.Interdisciplinary submissions are welcome when they make a clear contribution to astronautics, space research, or technological development.

Manuscript Types

LAJA currently accepts the following manuscript categories:
  • Research Articles
  • Review Articles
All submissions must present clear objectives, sound methodology, relevant analysis, and conclusions supported by evidence.

Languages

LAJA accepts submissions in:
  • English
  • Spanish
  • Portuguese
The primary publication language of the journal is English. All manuscripts must include the following in English and in the language of submission:
  • Title
  • Abstract
  • Keywords
Authors are responsible for ensuring that the language of the manuscript is clear, accurate, and suitable for academic publication.

Publication Model and Frequency

LAJA operates under a continuous publication model and organizes its content in four issues per year (Quarterly).Accepted articles are published online as soon as they complete the editorial, peer review, copyediting, and production process. This model allows timely dissemination while maintaining a semestral volume and issue structure.

Open Access Policy

LAJA is a fully open-access journal. All content is made freely and permanently available online immediately upon publication, without subscription barriers.Readers may access, read, download, share, and cite published articles in accordance with the journal’s licensing terms.

Author Fees

LAJA does not charge any fees to authors or readers.
  • No submission fees
  • No article processing charges (APCs)
  • No publication fees
  • No access fees
Editorial decisions are based exclusively on academic merit, scientific quality, relevance, and compliance with the journal’s policies.

Editorial Independence

LAJA makes editorial decisions independently and without improper influence from sponsors, institutions, advertisers, or external interests.Manuscripts are evaluated on the basis of:
  • originality
  • technical and scientific merit
  • methodological rigor
  • relevance to the journal’s scope
  • clarity of presentation
  • ethical compliance
The journal does not discriminate on the basis of nationality, institutional affiliation, gender, career stage, language background, religion, political belief, or any other personal characteristic unrelated to scholarly quality.

Peer Review Policy

LAJA uses a double-blind peer review process. The identities of authors and reviewers are concealed during review whenever possible.

Editorial Evaluation Process

  1. Initial Screening. Each submission is reviewed by the editorial team to determine whether it fits the aims and scope of the journal and meets minimum standards of originality, structure, language, and ethical compliance.
  2. Technical and Ethics Check. The journal may evaluate manuscripts for plagiarism, duplicate publication, image manipulation, reference accuracy, authorship concerns, and other integrity-related issues before peer review.
  3. External Peer Review. Manuscripts that pass the initial screening are sent to qualified reviewers with relevant expertise. Normally, at least two independent reviewers are invited.
  4. Editorial Decision. Based on reviewer reports and editorial judgment, the journal may issue one of the following decisions: Accept, Minor Revision, Major Revision, or Reject.
  5. Revision and Final Decision. Revised manuscripts may be returned to reviewers or assessed by the editors, depending on the nature of the revisions requested.

Review Criteria

  • originality and relevance
  • technical quality and scientific contribution
  • methodological soundness
  • organization and clarity
  • quality of evidence and interpretation
  • relevance of references
  • ethical compliance
The Editor or Editorial Committee reserves the right to reject a manuscript at any stage if serious ethical, scientific, or editorial concerns are identified.

Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting to LAJA must ensure that:
  • the work is original and has not been published elsewhere in the same form;
  • the manuscript is not under consideration by another journal at the time of submission;
  • all listed authors have made a substantial scholarly contribution;
  • all authors have reviewed and approved the submitted version;
  • the data, results, and conclusions are presented honestly and accurately;
  • sources are properly cited;
  • conflicts of interest and funding sources are fully disclosed;
  • any required ethics approvals or permissions have been obtained.
The corresponding author is responsible for communication with the journal and for ensuring that all co-authors agree with the submission, revisions, and final publication.

Authorship Criteria

Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant intellectual contribution to the work, such as in the conception of the study, methodology, analysis, interpretation, drafting, or critical revision of the manuscript.Individuals who contributed in more limited ways, such as language editing, technical support, funding acquisition only, or administrative assistance, should be acknowledged appropriately but should not be listed as authors unless they meet the authorship criteria.LAJA does not accept:
  • guest authorship
  • honorary authorship
  • ghost authorship
Any proposed change in authorship after submission must be explained in writing and approved by all listed authors and the editorial office.

Research Integrity and Publication Ethics

LAJA is committed to the highest standards of publication ethics and research integrity. The journal expects honesty, transparency, accountability, and fairness from authors, reviewers, editors, and all participants in the publication process.The journal may take editorial action in cases involving, but not limited to:
  • plagiarism
  • self-plagiarism or redundant publication
  • duplicate submission
  • fabricated or falsified data
  • manipulated images or misleading figures
  • false authorship claims
  • undisclosed conflicts of interest
  • peer review manipulation
  • citation manipulation
  • unethical research practices
When necessary, the journal may request clarifications, raw data, ethics approvals, authorship documentation, or institutional review.

Plagiarism and Similarity Policy

All submissions must be original. Text recycling, unattributed copying, inappropriate paraphrasing, duplicate submission, and previously published content presented as new are not acceptable.LAJA may use similarity-detection tools and editorial assessment to identify overlap with published or submitted work.A manuscript may be rejected, returned for correction, or subject to post-publication action if plagiarism or other forms of textual misconduct are detected.

Data, Materials, Software, and Reproducibility

LAJA encourages transparency and reproducibility in research.Authors should make underlying data, code, models, supplementary files, and methodological details available whenever possible, unless legal, ethical, security, privacy, export-control, or proprietary restrictions prevent open sharing.Each manuscript should include a Data Availability Statement indicating one of the following:
  • where the data or code can be accessed;
  • that data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request;
  • or why the data cannot be shared.
When research depends on software, simulation, computational workflows, or experimental methods, authors should provide enough detail to allow evaluation and, where feasible, reproducibility.

Image Integrity and Figure Preparation

Figures, photographs, simulation outputs, and other visual materials must accurately reflect the original data or intended scholarly content.Authors must not manipulate images in a deceptive way. Adjustments to brightness, contrast, color balance, or resolution are acceptable only if they are applied to the entire image, do not obscure or misrepresent information, and are disclosed when relevant.Composite figures, rendered images, and simulated outputs must be clearly identified and described appropriately in the manuscript.

Human Participants, Personal Data, and Animal Research

If a submission involves human participants, personal data, interviews, surveys, educational experiments, or identifiable information, authors must confirm that the study complied with applicable ethical standards and institutional or national regulations. When required, authors must state that ethical approval was obtained and that informed consent was secured.If a submission involves animals, authors must confirm compliance with institutional and legal requirements for animal care and use.Editors may request supporting documentation when ethical oversight is relevant to the research.

Safety, Dual-Use, and Regulatory Compliance

Because astronautics research may involve technologies with safety, security, or regulatory implications, authors are responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable institutional, national, and international regulations.This includes, where relevant:
  • laboratory and test safety requirements
  • export-control rules
  • remote sensing or space regulatory restrictions
  • use of restricted materials or technologies
  • dual-use research considerations
LAJA reserves the right not to publish material that presents serious and unjustified safety or security risks.

Conflict of Interest Policy

All authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any conflict of interest that could influence, or reasonably appear to influence, their judgment.Conflicts may be:
  • financial
  • institutional
  • professional
  • collaborative
  • personal
Authors must declare all sources of financial support and any relevant competing interests in the manuscript. Reviewers and editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts when a significant conflict exists.

Funding Disclosure

Authors must identify all funding sources that supported the research, including grants, institutional support, equipment support, or sponsored projects.If the research did not receive specific funding, the manuscript should state that no external funding was received.

Policy on the Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools

LAJA recognizes that artificial intelligence tools, including generative AI systems, may be used in research and writing workflows. Their use must be transparent, responsible, and consistent with academic integrity.

Permitted Uses

Authors may use AI tools for limited support tasks such as:
  • language improvement
  • grammar correction
  • translation assistance
  • outline support
  • formatting assistance
Any such use must remain under full human supervision.

Author Responsibility

Authors remain fully responsible for the entire content of the manuscript, including the accuracy of facts and citations, originality of the text, validity of methods and results, legality and ethics of all content, and proper acknowledgment of sources.Use of AI does not transfer responsibility away from the authors.

Disclosure Requirement

If generative AI or AI-assisted tools were used in the preparation of the manuscript beyond minor spelling or grammar correction, authors must disclose this use in a clearly labeled statement within the manuscript.The disclosure should specify:
  • the tool used
  • the purpose of use
  • the extent of use
  • the level of human review and control

Prohibited Uses

  • listing AI tools as authors or co-authors
  • using AI to fabricate, falsify, or manipulate data, results, images, or references
  • generating fake citations or unverifiable sources
  • using AI to produce peer reviews or editorial decisions in place of human judgment
  • submitting AI-generated content without critical verification and accountability by the authors

AI and Confidentiality in Peer Review

Reviewers and editors must protect manuscript confidentiality. Unpublished manuscripts, reviewer reports, and editorial correspondence must not be uploaded to public AI systems or other third-party tools in ways that may compromise confidentiality, authors’ rights, or data security.Editorial decisions are made by human editors, not by automated systems.

Preprint and Prior Dissemination Policy

LAJA allows submission of manuscripts that have previously appeared as preprints, provided that:
  • the manuscript is not under formal review elsewhere;
  • the authors disclose the existence of the preprint at submission;
  • the preprint does not conflict with copyright or ethical obligations;
  • the manuscript submitted to LAJA represents a scholarly version suitable for peer review.
After publication, authors should update the preprint record to indicate that a peer-reviewed version has been published in LAJA.Conference presentations, thesis repositories, and academic seminars do not automatically disqualify a manuscript, provided the submission offers a valid journal contribution and meets originality requirements.

Self-Archiving Policy

Authors may deposit and share:
  • the submitted manuscript (preprint);
  • the accepted manuscript;
  • the published version;
in personal websites, institutional repositories, thesis repositories, non-commercial scholarly networks, or other appropriate academic platforms, provided that proper citation to the journal publication is included once available.

Copyediting, Proofs, and Final Publication

Accepted manuscripts may undergo editorial correction, copyediting, layout editing, and formatting before publication.Authors may be asked to review proofs prior to final publication. Proof corrections should be limited to typographical, formatting, or factual errors. Major substantive changes after acceptance may require editorial review and may delay publication.

Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

When errors or ethical concerns are identified before or after publication, LAJA may issue appropriate editorial actions, including:
  • correction notices
  • errata
  • retractions
  • expressions of concern
  • article removal in exceptional legal or ethical cases
The journal will assess each case carefully and seek a fair, evidence-based resolution. Post-publication actions will aim to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

Complaints and Appeals

Authors may appeal editorial decisions or submit complaints regarding the editorial process, peer review, ethics, or publication conduct.Appeals and complaints must be submitted in writing and should clearly explain the concern, provide relevant evidence, and identify the manuscript or publication involved.The journal will review such matters impartially. When necessary, the case may be referred to the Editor-in-Chief, Editorial Committee, publisher, or relevant institutional bodies.

Responsibilities of Reviewers and Editors

Reviewers

  • provide objective, constructive, and timely feedback;
  • treat manuscripts as confidential documents;
  • disclose conflicts of interest;
  • decline review if they are not sufficiently qualified or available;
  • avoid using unpublished information for personal advantage;
  • alert the editors to suspected plagiarism, ethical concerns, or major methodological problems.
Reviewer recommendations are advisory. Final decisions remain the responsibility of the editors.

Editors

  • evaluate manuscripts fairly and confidentially;
  • select qualified reviewers;
  • avoid conflicts of interest;
  • preserve the integrity of the peer review process;
  • make decisions based on scholarly merit and journal policy;
  • respond appropriately to ethical concerns and allegations of misconduct.
Editors may consult the Editorial Committee or external experts when necessary to resolve complex ethical or technical matters.

Privacy Statement

The names, email addresses, affiliations, and other personal information entered in this journal site or provided during submission will be used exclusively for the stated editorial and publication purposes of LAJA.This information will not be sold or used for unrelated commercial purposes. Personal data may be used for editorial communication, peer review administration, publication metadata, indexing, archiving, and journal management in accordance with applicable legal and ethical standards.

Archiving and Digital Preservation

LAJA is committed to preserving the long-term accessibility of its published content.The journal maintains digital copies and backup procedures for published material. As its publishing infrastructure develops, LAJA will continue strengthening its preservation strategy through institutional archiving, secure backups, and compatible long-term digital preservation mechanisms.

Indexing and Visibility

LAJA is committed to progressively improving the discoverability, metadata quality, and international visibility of its published content.The journal will pursue inclusion in appropriate directories, databases, and indexing services once the corresponding eligibility criteria are met.

Disclaimer

The opinions, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in published articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors, the Editorial Board, or Intinauta Research Center.Responsibility for the content of each article remains with the authors.

Contact

For editorial inquiries, submissions, ethics questions, or publication-related communication, please contact:LAJA Editorial Office Intinauta Research Center Email: journal@intinauta.com Website: www.intinauta.com/journal/ Lima, Perú
  • Platform (OJS) : journal.intinauta.com
  • e-ISSN: 3119-8023
  • DOI: DOI implementation in progress

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