3 articles · Updated · European Space Agency · Oct 13
Summary
04:41 JST on 20 October 2026 is the scheduled launch time for MMX, a JAXA-led H3 mission aiming to become the first to bring back samples from Mars's moon Phobos.
At least 10 grams of material are due back to Earth in 2031 after MMX reaches Mars in 2027, deploys the 25-kg Idefix rover in 2029, and lands on Phobos in 2030.
11 science instruments and two sampling devices will probe whether Phobos is a captured asteroid or debris from a giant impact on Mars, a key unanswered question about the moon's origin.
The mission also marks several firsts: the first quasi-satellite orbit around Phobos, the first sample collection from any moon beyond Earth's, and the first Earth return from the Mars system.
NASA, ESA, CNES and DLR are partnering on MMX, whose round-trip architecture could inform future Mars sample-return efforts and eventually human missions.
With MMX launching in just days, will the returned Phobos dust finally prove if Mars's moons are actually captured asteroids?
If Martian moons are fragile rubble piles, can the MMX mission safely land and scoop samples without sinking into the surface?
Martian Moons eXploration (MMX): JAXA’s 2026–2031 Mission to Return Samples from Phobos and Deimos
Overview
JAXA's MMX mission will launch in October 2026 to explore Mars' moon Phobos. After entering Mars orbit and maneuvering around Phobos, the spacecraft will deploy the Idefix rover to study the surface. Later, MMX will land to collect regolith and core samples, using advanced sampling technology to avoid lifting off in low gravity. The samples will return to Earth in 2031, landing in Australia before being transported to JAXA's facility for detailed laboratory analysis. International teams will use cutting-edge techniques to study the material, helping to reveal the origins of Phobos and Mars' history, while also gathering vital data for future human missions.