A spacecraft has launched from Japan headed for Mars' moon Phobos, where it will attempt to grab some moondust and bring it back to Earth. If successful, this will mark the first time a sample has been returned from Mars or its moons for analysis in laboratories on Earth. The spacecraft is scheduled to arrive at Phobos in August 2027.
Mission Overview
The Mars Moons Exploration (MMX) mission, led by the Japanese Space Agency, aims to solve the mystery of how Mars's moons formed. Prof. Sara Russell, from the Natural History Museum, who serves as the MMX mission's deputy for sample analysis, stated:
“"There hasn't yet been a successful mission to go to Phobos and bring a bit back to Earth. I think this is an incredibly ambitious and fun mission."
There are only three moons in the inner Solar System: our own Moon, and two around Mars, known as Phobos and Deimos. Both moons are small and irregularly shaped, resembling space potatoes, with Phobos measuring about 20 km (12 miles) across and Deimos about 10 km (6 miles).
Scientific Goals
The MMX spacecraft will study Deimos as it approaches the Mars neighborhood before focusing on Phobos. It plans to deploy a small rover to explore the terrain, although this presents significant challenges. Prof. Russell explained:
“"The moon itself doesn't have very much of its own gravity. But it's next to an enormous planet that's got a much higher gravity, and that makes it much harder to get a rover onto the surface."
The rover will scout a landing site for the MMX spacecraft, which will later attempt to land on Phobos. Once on the surface, it will deploy a robotic arm and two samplers to collect moondust. This material will be packed into a small capsule that is expected to return to Earth in 2031, landing in the Woomera desert of South Australia. The amount of material collected will be small, approximately 10 grams.
