JAXA Launches MMX Probe to Phobos to Solve Mystery of Mars's Two Moons
On October 20 at 4:41 a.m. local time, Japan's Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft took off from Tanegashima Space Center, with the objective of collecting samples from Phobos and returning them to Earth in five years. Yasuhiro Kawakatsu from JAXA referred to the moons as the most significant unclimbed mountains in the solar system. The origins of Phobos and Deimos are theorized to be either debris from Mars or captured asteroids. The mission enjoys support from NASA, the European Space Agency, and others. The spacecraft is expected to reach Mars in August 2024, where it will survey Phobos, land at two locations, and investigate Deimos. The sampling is anticipated to yield 0.35 ounces, enough for several analyses, marking a historic first sample-return from a Martian moon.
Key facts
- JAXA's MMX probe launched from Tanegashima Space Center on October 20 at 4:41 a.m. local time
- The mission aims to return samples from Phobos to Earth within five years
- Phobos is 14 miles wide and Deimos 7.5 miles wide, compared with Earth's moon at 2,159 miles
- The spacecraft is scheduled to reach the Martian system in August next year
- Two landing sites on Phobos will be sampled using a nitrogen-gas vacuum device and a core drill
- Only 0.35 ounces of material will be brought back to Earth
- NASA, ESA, France's National Center for Space Studies, the German Aerospace Center and the Australian Space Agency are collaborators
- Kiyoshi Kuramoto estimates about 1 percent of collected material may originate from Mars
Entities
Artists
- Yasuhiro Kawakatsu
- Tomohiro Usui
- Chrysa Avdellidou
- Kiyoshi Kuramoto
- Mari Yamaguchi
- Ashley Strickland
- Rebecca Morelle
- Alison Francis
- Kevin Church
- Robin George Andrews
- Margherita Bassi
- Tom Statler
- David Lawrence
- Abigail Fraeman
- Elliot Sefton-Nash
Institutions
- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
- NASA
- European Space Agency
- National Center for Space Studies
- German Aerospace Center
- Australian Space Agency
- University of Leicester
- Hokkaido University
- Associated Press
- CNN
- BBC News
- Science
- Smithsonian Magazine
- JAXA
- Johns Hopkins University
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- German Space Agency
- French Space Agency
Locations
- Japan
- Tanegashima Space Center
- Mars
- Phobos
- Deimos
- England
- United Kingdom
- France
- Germany
- Australia
- United States