In December 2022, members of the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission and the Twinkle Space Telescope held a joint strategy meeting to help ensure the successful collection of a sample from the Martian Moon, Phobos, by the MMX spacecraft.
“The mission is to collect a sample of at least 10 grams of sample from a depth of more than 2 cm within 90 minutes after landing on the Martian moon Phobos.” Dr Hiroki Kato of JAXA started working on the development of a sampling device around 2015 to meet this difficult task. He is now focusing hard in order to "make this happen" in preparation the launch in FY2024. In this interview, Kato tells us why it is necessary to collect samples in 90 minutes, what kind of methods are used for sample collection, the difficulties that exist, and the kind of future is in sight.
Preparations have already begun for receiving the sample from Phobos that will be returned by MMX. We talk with Tomohiro Usui, lead of the Japanese curation team, about the preparations for the most precious of deliveries.
One of the main hypotheses for the formation of the moons of Mars is that the moons are captured small bodies, due to their resemblance to the D-type asteroids. But what are D-type asteroids and what would be the scientific importance of the MMX mission returning a sample from this asteroid class?
“With MMX, we will study a tiny moon,” says Hyodo. “But this is not only about the moon, it is also about Solar System material and material from Mars.” Dr Ryuki Hyodo shares the science behind JAXA’s upcoming MMX mission to the Martian moons, and the unique features of this journey to Mars’s domain.
A JAXA integrated PDR that considered all elements was conducted in February 2021. A large number of participants from inside and outside of JAXA were involved in the judging, and the transition to the next phase (Critical Design Phase) was approved.
When the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission returns to Earth in 2029, the spacecraft will bring home a sample capsule containing material from the martian moon, Phobos. This material is expected to not only reveal the composition and history of the moons, but also contain grains ejected from Mars over the red planet’s history. New research now suggests that the sample may also include traces of Mars’s ancient atmosphere.
The Martian Moons eXploration Mission (MMX) will be collaborating with the UK-led Twinkle Space Telescope to elucidate the origin of the Martian moons, Phobos and Deimos.
With limited mass, the key is to prepare the most efficient combination in anticipation of what may happen in the future. For artificial satellites in the Earth’s sphere, rapid support provided from the ground can be expected. But the spacecraft system design for deep space missions such as Hayabusa, Hayabusa2 and MMX, it is similar to the idea of preparing to ride a bicycle in an area where support such as convenience stores cannot be expected at all.
When the MMX spacecraft leaves Earth in 2024 JFY*, it will be carrying a buddy: a rover designed to explore the surface of Phobos. The microwave-sized vehicle is being designed by the German and French space agencies, DLR and CNES. With a mass of approximately 25 kg, the rover must be both lightweight and strong. Its first test will be to survive the drop from the MMX spacecraft to the surface of Phobos, estimated to be a free-fall descent of about 40 to 100 m.
