JAXA prepares MMX mission to collect samples from Mars' moon Phobos

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is preparing the unmanned Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission, which is scheduled to launch from the Tanegashima Space Center in the coming months. The mission aims to land on Phobos, one of Mars’ moons, to collect at least 10 grams of surface material.

During its approximately three-year orbit around Mars, the spacecraft will utilize the IDEFIX rover to conduct surface observations on Phobos and will also observe the moon Deimos. Scientists hope the mission will resolve debates regarding the origin of the Martian moons, specifically whether they formed via a “giant impact” with Mars or were asteroids captured by its gravity.

By studying these moons, researchers aim to understand how water, volatiles, and organic compounds were transported from the outer Solar System to the inner rocky planets, potentially explaining how habitable environments formed on worlds like Earth. A return capsule is expected to land in Australia around 2031.