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Japan Launches Mission to Collect Samples from Martian Moon Phobos
· Confirmed
In Short: On Tuesday, Japan launched the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft from Tanegashima Space Center, marking the start of a mission to collect samples from Phobos, one of Mars' two moons.
The MMX spacecraft is set to arrive at Mars in August 2027, where it will enter an orbit near Phobos to create a detailed surface map.
Once the map is complete, the spacecraft will land on Phobos to drop off a small rover called IDEFIX and collect samples using two different devices: one that shoots a puff of gas to collect dust and pebbles, and another that blasts a hollow cylinder into the ground to retrieve deeper samples.
The mission aims to resolve the long-standing debate about Phobos' origins, which researchers have debated for over a century. Some theories suggest that Phobos and its sibling, Deimos, are captured asteroids, while others propose they formed from an impact on Mars, similar to Earth's moon.
According to Tom Statler, part of the NASA team collaborating on the MMX mission, understanding Phobos' formation could provide insights into the early era when Earth and other inner planets were acquiring water and organic compounds.
The spacecraft will carry 13 instruments, including a rover jointly developed by France and Germany, a NASA sampling device, and an instrument to measure gamma rays.
JAXA officials anticipate that material from Mars will account for about 0.1% of the material collected from Phobos. The samples will be stored in a heat-protected capsule for the journey back to Earth.
Scientists believe that Phobos, being closer to Mars than Deimos, might hold deeper insights into the planet's history and potential signs of past microbial life.
The mission is expected to take five years, providing a deeper understanding of Phobos and Deimos and their role in the origins of life in the solar system.
Once the samples are collected, the spacecraft will return to Earth in 2031, bringing back crucial data that could unlock the mysteries of Mars' moons.
What this adds
The mission aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of Phobos and its potential to reveal the origins of the solar system and life on Earth.
The spacecraft's detailed surface map and sample collection will offer unprecedented insights into Phobos' composition and history.
Scientists hope that the samples collected from Phobos will provide evidence of ancient life on Mars, enriching our understanding of the planet's past.
Background
NASA and SpaceX launched the CRS-35 resupply mission to the International Space Station from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Tuesday, October 13, 2026.
What's confirmed
- The MMX spacecraft is set to arrive at Mars in August 2027, where it will enter an orbit near Phobos to create a detailed surface map.
- Once the map is complete, the spacecraft will land on Phobos to drop off a small rover called IDEFIX and collect samples using two different devices: one that shoots a puff of gas to collect dust and pebbles, and another that blasts a hollow cylinder into the ground to retrieve deeper samples.
- The mission aims to resolve the long-standing debate about Phobos' origins, which researchers have debated for over a century. Some theories suggest that Phobos and its sibling, Deimos, are captured asteroids, while others propose they formed from an impact on Mars, similar to Earth's moon.
- According to Tom Statler, part of the NASA team collaborating on the MMX mission, understanding Phobos' formation could provide insights into the early era when Earth and other inner planets were acquiring water and organic compounds.
- The spacecraft will carry 13 instruments, including a rover jointly developed by France and Germany, a NASA sampling device, and an instrument to measure gamma rays.
- JAXA officials anticipate that material from Mars will account for about 0.1% of the material collected from Phobos. The samples will be stored in a heat-protected capsule for the journey back to Earth.
- Scientists believe that Phobos, being closer to Mars than Deimos, might hold deeper insights into the planet's history and potential signs of past microbial life.
- The mission is expected to take five years, providing a deeper understanding of Phobos and Deimos and their role in the origins of life in the solar system.
- Once the samples are collected, the spacecraft will return to Earth in 2031, bringing back crucial data that could unlock the mysteries of Mars' moons.
What's still developing
- On 20 October, the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft launches towards the larger of the two moons, Phobos, with the goal of bringing back a sample that may finally explain how Phobos and its sibling, Deimos, formed.
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- MMX will launch from Tanegashima Space Center in Japan.
- Possible signs of ancient life on Mars are rich in complex carbon The samples, though, are the most important part of the mission.
- Impacts on the planet could have launched material into space, which would have collected on the moon’s surface and been preserved there for billions of years.
- Once the map is complete enough, the spacecraft’s operators at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will use it to pick out a spot on Phobos for MMX to land.
- After the samples are taken, they will be stowed away inside the spacecraft, which will then head back towards Earth.
- Phobos and Deimos derived their names from the Greek mythological epitomes of fear and terror whose Roman counterpart is Mars.
- The collection of samples from multiple geographic locations optimizes the likelihood of retrieving potential evidence of past microbial life on Mars.
- The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency is working to launch the spacecraft on Tuesday on a new Japanese mainstay H3 rocket.
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