JAXA MMX mission to collect first samples from Mars moon Phobos

The Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission, led by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), aims to conduct the first-ever sample return from a Martian moon. Scheduled to launch on an H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center, the mission targets Phobos, the largest natural satellite of Mars.

The primary objective is to resolve scientific debates regarding the origin of Phobos and Deimos, specifically whether they formed from debris following a massive impact on Mars or were asteroids captured by the planet's gravity. The mission plan involves orbiting the moon, deploying a 25-kilogram rover named Idefix to study the surface, and collecting at least ten grams of material. If successful, these samples are expected to return to Earth via Australia in 2031.

This international collaboration includes NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), the French space agency CNES, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), and the Spanish Space Research Institute (INTA). Technological contributions include a specialized mini-laser developed by Fraunhofer IOF in Jena, Germany, which will be used with a Raman spectrometer to analyze the geological composition of the moon's surface.