posted 10-14-2026 02:27 PM               

Martian Moons eXploration (MMX)

Destination Phobos, the unexplored Martian moon. A world-first sample return mission to the Martian sphere. The five year journey now begins.

By returning 10g of material from the Martian moon, Phobos, and conducting observations of the moons, the origin of the Mars system and the pathways for the emergence of habitability and life can be explored. This is a world-first mission led by JAXA.

The Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission will primarily focus on Phobos, a Martian moon that has never been explored. The mission will observe the topography, internal structure, composition, and gravity of the moon, and return samples of regolith.

How did the Martian moons form? How did Mars and our Solar System evolve? Through detailed observations and analysis of the samples obtained from Phobos, this mission seeks to clarify the formation of the Martian sphere and the Solar System, explore how life began, and pave the way for future deep-space exploration.

Launch is scheduled in autumn 2026, with the return to Earth targeted for 2031.