NASA Previews Contributions to JAXA’s Upcoming Martian Moons Mission
NASA is inviting media to a teleconference on Thursday, October 15, to highlight its critical contributions to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) upcoming Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission. The mission is officially scheduled to launch from JAXA’s Tanegashima Space Center in Japan on Monday, October 19 EDT (Tuesday, October 20 JST).
The MMX spacecraft is expected to arrive at Mars in August 2027 to begin a detailed survey of the Red Planet’s two moons, Phobos and Deimos. Following its observation phase, the spacecraft will execute a daring maneuver to collect a surface sample from Phobos no earlier than December 2028, with plans to deliver the precious cargo back to Earth in 2031. NASA is playing a vital role in this international endeavor by providing the MEGANE gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer (developed by Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory) and a specialized pneumatic surface sampler mechanism (developed by Honeybee Robotics). Additionally, NASA will support the mission with communications and navigation via its Deep Space Network.
Funded by NASA’s Discovery Program, these contributions highlight the continued power of international collaboration in deep space exploration. The upcoming media briefing will offer an exciting overview of how NASA and JAXA are working together to unlock the mysteries of the Martian moons and pave the way for future discoveries.
Reference URL: https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-briefing-to-highlight-contributions-to-martian-moons-mission/
