NASA Contributes Instruments and Support to Japan's Upcoming Martian Moons eXploration Mission

NASA is contributing key instruments, technology, and support to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s upcoming Martian Moons eXploration mission. The mission aims to characterize the origin of Mars’ moons, Phobos and Deimos, and return a sample of Phobos to Earth. The MMX spacecraft is scheduled to launch from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center.

According to NASA, scientists have debated whether Phobos and Deimos are remnants of a massive impact on Mars or ancient captured asteroids. NASA’s hardware contributions include the MEGANE spectrograph to measure the elemental composition of Phobos using neutrons and gamma rays, and a Pneumatic Sampler to collect surface material using high-pressure nitrogen gas.

The agency is also providing Deep Space Network communications and funding for U.S. scientists. The spacecraft is scheduled to arrive at Mars in August 2027, collect a sample no earlier than December 2028, and return it to Earth in 2031. NASA will receive and curate about 15 percent of the returned sample at its Johnson Space Center.