Japanese-French Mission to Explore Mars' Moons Set for 2026 Launch

Japan and France are joining forces for an ambitious space mission to unlock the secrets of Mars's two small moons, Phobos and Deimos. The unmanned spacecraft, dubbed Martian Moons Exploration (MMX), is set to launch in 2026 from Japan's Tanegashima Space Center.

The MMX mission, spearheaded by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) with significant contributions from the French National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR), as well as NASA, aims to gather crucial data about the moons' origins and composition. Scientists are particularly keen to understand whether Phobos and Deimos are captured asteroids or were formed from debris after a massive impact on Mars.

Upon reaching the Martian system, the MMX spacecraft will study both moons. It will attempt a landing on Phobos to collect over 10 grams of soil and rock samples. Meanwhile, a French-German robot named IDEFIX will conduct surface observations. Deimos will be studied through close-up flybys without landing.

The mission's return capsule is scheduled to land in Australia in July 2031. JAXA hopes the collected samples will help settle the debate on the moons' origins, offering insights into the early solar system and how water and organic materials might have been delivered to the inner solar system. Phobos, in particular, is seen as a potential "time capsule" of the solar system's formation.

Beyond understanding planetary origins, the MMX mission will also assess Phobos's potential as a future natural base for deeper Mars exploration and measure radiation levels, a key challenge for human missions. This endeavor builds on Japan's previous success with the Hayabusa2 sample return mission from asteroid Ryugu, showcasing its growing expertise in space exploration.