 An artist's concept of Mars Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft | |
| Names | MMX |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Sample-return mission |
| Operator | JAXA |
| Website | www |
| Mission duration | 5 years (planned) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | JAXA[1] |
| Launch mass | Propulsion module: 1800 kg Exploration module: 150 kg Return module: 1050 kg[2] MMX Rover: 30 kg |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 2026 (planned)[3] |
| Rocket | H3 |
| Launch site | Tanegashima, LA-Y |
| Contractor | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries |
| Phobos lander | |
| Landing date | 2027 (planned)[3] |
| Return launch | 2031 (planned)[3] |
| Sample mass | ≥10 g (0.35 oz)[4] |
| Instruments | |
| TElescopic Nadir imager for GeOmOrphology (TENGOO) Optical RadiOmeter composed of CHromatic Imagers (OROCHI) Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) MMX InfraRed Spectrometer (MIRS) Mars-moon Exploration with GAmma rays and NEutrons (MEGANE) Circum-Martian Dust Monitor (CMDM) Mass Spectrum Analyzer (MSA) | |
Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) is a robotic space probe set for launch in 2026 to bring back the first samples from Mars' largest moon Phobos.[3][5] Developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and announced on 9 June 2015, MMX will land and collect samples from Phobos once or twice, along with conducting Deimos flyby observations and monitoring Mars's climate.[6]
The mission aims to provide key information to help determine whether the Martian moons are captured asteroids or the result of a larger body hitting Mars. JAXA and other Japanese government officials officially approved the MMX project to proceed into development on 19 February 2020, according to a post on JAXA's website.[1]
- ^ a b "Phobos sample return mission enters development for 2024 launch". Spaceflight Now. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
H Miyamoto, 2016was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b c d "MMX - Martian Moons eXploration". JAXA. 26 December 2023. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
- ^ Gravity both too strong and too weak: landing on the Martian moons JAXA News 31 August 2017
- ^ "JAXA plans probe to bring back samples from moons of Mars". The Japan Times. 10 June 2015.
- ^ "Observation plan for Martian meteors by Mars-orbiting MMX spacecraft". 10 June 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2017.