NASA to Preview Its Contributions to the Upcoming JAXA Martian Moons Mission
NASA
- NASA will host a media teleconference on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 4 p.m. EDT to discuss its involvement in JAXA’s Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission.
- The MMX spacecraft is scheduled to launch from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan on Oct. 19, arriving at Mars in August 2027.
- The mission aims to survey Mars' two moons, Phobos and Deimos, collect a surface sample from Phobos no earlier than December 2028, and return the sample to Earth in 2031.
Key NASA Contributions
- MEGANE: A gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer developed by the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.
- Pneumatic Sampler: A specialized surface collection mechanism developed by Honeybee Robotics, a Blue Origin company.
- Technical Support: Communication and navigation services provided through NASA’s Deep Space Network.
- Scientific Funding: NASA's Discovery Program is funding U.S. scientists participating in the MMX science team.