Japan is preparing to launch an ambitious mission to one of Mars’ mysterious moons, Phobos, in a bid to bring back extraterrestrial material that could help scientists understand how the Red Planet and its surrounding moons formed.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is targeting Tuesday for the launch of its Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission, which aims to collect at least 10 grams of material from Phobos and return it to Earth in 2031.
The mission will also study both Phobos and Deimos, Mars’ two small moons, to investigate their origins and evolution.
If successful, MMX would become the first mission to return samples from a moon of Mars, giving scientists an unprecedented opportunity to study material collected directly from the Martian system.
HOW WILL JAPAN COLLECT SAMPLES FROM PHOBOS?
The mission will travel to the Martian system aboard Japan’s H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center. It is scheduled to reach Mars in 2027 and begin detailed observations of Phobos, including its topography, internal structure, composition and gravity.
The mission’s central challenge will be collecting samples from a small moon with extremely weak gravity.
MMX will deploy a small rover, developed jointly by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and France’s CNES, to study the surface and support exploration.
To collect material, the spacecraft will use two sampling systems: a coring sampler designed to obtain material beneath the surface and a pneumatic sampler that uses high-pressure nitrogen gas to lift surface particles into a collection container. The spacecraft aims to gather at least 10 grams of material from two locations on Phobos.
The collected material will be sealed inside a return capsule for the journey back to Earth, with recovery planned in Australia’s Woomera region in 2031.
Why are scientists interested in Mars’ moons?
Phobos and Deimos are among the least understood objects in the inner Solar System. Scientists are investigating two competing explanations for their origins: they may be asteroids captured by Mars’ gravity, or they may have formed from debris thrown into orbit after a massive impact on the planet.
Analysing samples in laboratories on Earth could help distinguish between these possibilities. Researchers will examine the material’s mineral composition, chemical signatures and other properties that are difficult to measure conclusively using spacecraft instruments alone.
The samples could also contain material ejected from Mars by ancient impacts, potentially offering clues about the planet’s geological history and the ingredients that shaped its environment.
A STEP TOWARDS FUTURE MARS EXPLORATION
MMX is a multinational effort led by JAXA, with contributions from NASA, ESA, DLR and CNES. Beyond its scientific objectives, the mission will test technologies needed for landing on small celestial bodies, collecting samples and returning them safely across deep space.
If successful, MMX will mark a major milestone in planetary exploration: the first return of samples from the Martian system.
Its findings could help scientists understand how Mars and its moons evolved, while informing future missions to explore the Red Planet and assess its potential habitability.
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