Martian moons exploration MMX: sample return mission to Phobos elucidating formation processes of habitable planets

Abstract

Martian moons exploration, MMX, is the new sample return mission planned by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) targeting the two Martian moons with the scheduled launch in 2024 and return to the Earth in 2029. The major scientific objectives of this mission are to determine the origin of Phobos and Deimos, to elucidate the early Solar System evolution in terms of volatile delivery across the snow line to the terrestrial planets having habitable surface environments, and to explore the evolutionary processes of both moons and Mars surface environment. To achieve these objectives, during a stay in circum-Martian space over about 3 years MMX will collect samples from Phobos along with close-up observations of this inner moon and carry out multiple flybys of Deimos to make comparative observations of this outer moon. Simultaneously, successive observations of the Martian atmosphere will also be made by utilizing the advantage of quasi-equatorial spacecraft orbits along the moons’ orbits. Graphical Abstract

The MMX rover: performing in situ surface investigations on Phobos

“…The scientific objectives of the MMX rover are defined in line with those of the overall MMX mission (Kuramoto et al 2021), complementing the science which can be performed with the instruments on board the main spacecraft or the returned samples.…”

“…The Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission by the Japan Aerospace Agency, JAXA, will visit the Martian moons Phobos and Deimos (Kuramoto et al 2021;Kawakatsu et al 2019). The MMX Rover, a contribution by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) to the MMX mission, will be delivered to the surface of Phobos.…”

The Mars system revealed by the Martian Moons eXploration mission

“…This is reflected in one of the scientific goals (SGs) of MMX. The first of SGs (SG-1) is related to studies on the Martian moons and the understanding of the planetary system formation and material transport in the solar system (Kuramoto et al 2021). The second scientific goal of the MMX (SG-2) is:…”

“…The growing global interest in the history of the Martian surface environment motivated us to develop a Mars observation plan in the MMX (Martian Moons eXploration) mission aiming to disentangle the coupling among different processes, thereby assessing the roles of short-term elementary processes in the atmosphere and in the circum-Mars space in the long-term evolution of the Martian environment. MMX is the third sample return mission of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) (Kuramoto et al 2021). The spacecraft will conduct close-up observations of the Martian satellites Phobos and Deimos, collect samples from Phobos, and bring them back to the Earth to reveal the origin of the two moons.…”

“…Kuramoto et al (2021) for details of SG-1, MO-1, and MO-2from the viewpoint of the Martian moons, clarify the driving mechanism of the transition of the Mars-moon systems and add new knowledge to the evolution history of Mars MO-2.2: add new findings and constraints on the history of changes in the Martian surface Paleoclimate restored from Martian samples constrain the mechanisms of material circulation in the Martian atmosphere affecting the transitions in the Martian climate Material transport processes in the present Martian atmosphere Continuous monitoring of the behavior of dust, clouds and water vapor with high temporal and spatial resolutions…”