The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Jaxa) will launch a mission, named “Martian Moon eXploration” (MMX), to study Phobos and Deimos in September 2024. These are two moons of Mars.
- Phobos (about 22km in diameter) and Deimos (about 13km in diameter) have been puzzling scientists for decades, with their origin remaining a matter of debate.
- Some have proposed that they may be made up of residual debris produced from a planet or large asteroid smashing into the surface of Mars.
- The mission will be carried by a newly designed rocket, the H-3, which is still under development.
- The spacecraft will explore both moons and collect a sample from Phobos to bring back to Earth.
