The Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) is an active robotic sample-return mission led by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). MMX aims to complete the world’s first sample return from the Martian system by collecting material from Mars’ largest moon, Phobos. Image credit: JAXA/NASA/SPACETV

Related channels: PHOBOS (MARS MOON), DEIMOS (MARS MOON), PLANET MARS, JAXA, ROCKET LAUNCHES & LANDINGS, SATELLITES

Martian Moons eXploration videos and latest news


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Japan's MMX Mars mission explained: How the spacecraft will return samples of Phobos
Want to support what we do? Check out our sponsor Norton VPN for 50% off: https://norton.ow5a.net/c/221109/4022657/4405?sharedid=space&param1=aff&param2=ytvideo&param3=vpn&subid1=Oct_Space_11 Japan's Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission will study Mars' moons Phobos and Deimos, deploy a rover, and attempt the first-ever sample return from Phobos. Here's how the five-year mission will unfold and what scientists hope to learn about the origins of Mars' mysterious moons. #MMX #JAXA #Mars #Phobos #Deimos #MartianMoons #MarsExploration #SampleReturn #SpaceExploration #SolarSystem #SpaceNews #Spacecom 🚀 Follow Space.com 🌌 Website: https://www.space.com 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VideoFromSpace 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spacedotcom 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spacecom 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@spacedotcom 🐦 X: https://twitter.com/Spacedotcom
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Mission blasts off to Mars to grab a piece of its moon | BBC News
A spacecraft has launched from Japan headed for Mars's moon Phobos, where it will attempt to grab some moondust and bring it back to Earth. If it is successful, it will become the first time a sample has been returned from Mars or its moons to be analysed in laboratories here on Earth. The spacecraft is scheduled to arrive at Phobos in August 2027. It is hoped that the Mars Moons Exploration (MMX) mission, which is led by the Japanese Space Agency, will solve the mystery of how Mars's moons formed. Subscribe to our channel here: https://bbc.in/bbcnews For the latest news download the BBC News app or visit BBC.com/news #BBCNews
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Launch live streaming of Martian Moons eXploration (MMX)/H3 Launch Vehicle flight No.10(English)
JAXA will livestream the launch of the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft aboard H3 Launch Vehicle flight No.10 (H3 F10). Broadcast Start Time: October 20, 2026, around 03:45 JST Launch Time: October 20, 2026, at 04:41:03 JST Launch Site: Tanegashima Space Center, Yoshinobu Launch Complex All times are in Japan Standard Time (24-hour format). ▼Japanese Live Stream（日本語の配信はこちら） Launch live streaming of Martian Moons eXploration (MMX)/H3 Launch Vehicle flight No.10(English) https://www.youtube.com/live/sZGyK9jfoy4 ▼Related Links https://www.youtube.com/user/jaxachannel https://www.youtube.com/@JAXA-LiveEvent https://www.jaxa.jp/ https://global.jaxa.jp/
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Martian Moons eXploration launch (MMX)
A H3 Launch Vehicle (H3-24/H3 F10) launched the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) probe (火星衛星探査機) from the Yoshinobu Launch Complex at the JAXA Tanegashima Space Center, Japan, on 19 October 2026, at 19:41:03 UTC (20 October, at 04:41:03 JST). Part of the Martian Moons eXploration program (火星衛星探査計画), the MMX probe aims to collect and return to Earth a minimum of 10g of material from Phobos, one of the two natural satellites of Mars. Credit: JAXA #H3F10
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NASA-backed mission aims to land on Mars moon, bring samples home
Japan's Martian Moons eXploration mission aims to study Mars' moons, Phobos and Deimos. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency leads the mission, with National Aeronautics and Space Administration contributions. Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/space/2026/10/15/nasa-jaxa-phobos-deimos-mars-moons-mmx/92245671007/ Sign up for our newsletter for the day's top stories, from sports to movies to politics to world events: https://profile.usatoday.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/
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NASA's Role in the Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) Mission (October 15, 2026)
NASA Science is playing a major and multifaceted role in the JAXA (Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency) Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission, working alongside our partners. These rich collaborations exemplify what can be done for all humanity through close international partnerships. NASA's MMX program leadership, experts, and partners will discuss NASA's contributions to this exciting mission, scheduled to launch Monday, Oct 19. Teleconference participants include: • [pending] Lindsay Hays, acting division director, Planetary Science Division, NASA Headquarters in Washington • Tom Statler, MMX program executive and scientist, Planetary Science Division, NASA Headquarters in Washington • David Lawrence, MEGANE Principal Investigator, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland • Kris Zacny, vice president, Blue Origin’s Honeybee Robotics, Longmont, CO
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The MMX mission to Martian moons | AFP
Japan’s Martian Moons xPloration (MMX), scheduled for October, is a mission to study the Martian moons Phobos and Deimos from orbit, as this animation explains. VIDEOGRAPHIC Interested in licensing this video ? Get in touch 👉 http://u.afp.com/wvnD N.B.: AFP’s services and content are for professional use only
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火星衛星探査計画（MMX）に関する記者説明会
開催日時：2026年9月24日（木）13時00分～14時00分 開催場所：相模原キャンパス 登壇者： JAXA 宇宙科学研究所 火星衛星探査機プロジェクトチーム （宇宙科学研究所 宇宙飛翔工学研究系 教授） プロジェクトマネージャ　川勝　康弘（かわかつ　やすひろ） JAXA 宇宙科学研究所 火星衛星探査機プロジェクトチーム プロジェクト統括科学者　倉本　圭（くらもと　きよし） （宇宙科学研究所 太陽系科学研究系 特任教授／北海道大学 大学院理学研究院 教授） 配布資料： 〇火星衛星探査計画（MMX）について https://www.jaxa.jp/projects/files/youtube/Martian_Moons_eXploration/jaxa_doc01_20260924.pdf 関連リンク： 〇火星衛星探査計画（MMX）プロジェクトサイト（ISAS） https://www.mmx.jaxa.jp/index.html 〇火星衛星探査計画(MMX)（ISAS） https://www.isas.jaxa.jp/missions/spacecraft/developing/mmx.html ▼JAXA公式チャンネルはこちら https://www.youtube.com/user/jaxachannel https://www.youtube.com/@JAXA-LiveEvent ▼JAXA（国立研究開発法人宇宙航空研究開発機構/Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency） https://www.jaxa.jp/ https://global.jaxa.jp/ #JAXA #宇宙 #航空 #火星 #探査 #MMX
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Japanese Mars mission aims to bring samples back to Earth | AFP
At the Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan, scientists are readying a mission to the moons of Mars, where they hope to collect samples that could unlock the origins of the Solar System and life on Earth. The unmanned Martian Moons eXploration (MMX), is set to blast off in the coming months, before orbiting Mars for around three years. During this time, a lander will collect sample material from the surface of Phobos, before returning to Earth in 2031. The mission is a collaboration between Japan’s space agency JAXA and counterparts from France and Germany, as well as NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and a score of universities and tech firms. Interested in licensing this video ? Get in touch 👉 http://u.afp.com/wvnD N.B.: AFP’s services and content are for professional use only
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Japan set for five-year Mars moon mission
Japan set for five-year Mars moon mission Japan is readying the first ever round-trip mission to Mars potentially to unlock how the Solar System formed and even lay the groundwork for humans living on the Red Planet. The five-year, unmanned Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission, in collaboration with other space agencies, is set to blast off from Tanegashima Space Center later this year. The spacecraft, revealed to media on Thursday, is expected to stay in Mars's orbit for around three years and will attempt to land not on the Red Planet but on Phobos, one of its moons. AFP | JAXA Check out our Streaming Channel: https://streaming.manilatimes.net/ Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net Follow us: Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital Check out our Podcasts: Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein #TheManilaTimes #WorldNews
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MMX Martian Moons eXploration mission movie 【2025年度版】
火星衛星探査計画（MMX）を紹介する動画です。 世界初の火星衛星サンプルリターンミッションです。 MMXの実現によって太陽系の惑星形成の謎を解く鍵が得られるでしょう。 2026年度打上げを目指して開発を進めています。 Mission to travel to Mars and survey the red planet’s two moons; Phobos and Deimos. The spacecraft will explore both moons and collect a sample from Phobos to bring back to Earth. ★火星衛星探査計画（MMX）公式サイト https://www.mmx.jaxa.jp/ https://www.mmx.jaxa.jp/en/ ★火星衛星探査計画（MMX）X https://x.com/mmx_jaxa_jp https://x.com/mmx_jaxa_en ★MMX-Newsサイト https://mmx-news.isas.jaxa.jp/?lang=ja 　https://mmx-news.isas.jaxa.jp/?lang=en ▼JAXA公式チャンネルはこちら https://www.youtube.com/user/jaxachannel https://www.youtube.com/@JAXA-LiveEvent ▼JAXA（国立研究開発法人宇宙航空研究開発機構/Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency） https://www.jaxa.jp/ https://global.jaxa.jp/ #JAXA #宇宙航空研究開発機構 #火星衛星探査計画 #MMX #火星 #火星衛星 #フォボス #ダイモス #サンプルリターン
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MMX：フォボスへの旅路
「火星の衛星はどのようにしてできたのでしょうか？」JAXAの火星衛星探査計画（MMX）ミッションは、この問いに対して探求します。 このアニメーション動画はドイツの宇宙機関DLRが制作しました。フランスの宇宙機関CNESと共同開発した、MMX探査機に搭載されるローバのIDEFIXが火星の衛星フォボスの表面を探査します。この動画では、火星圏への旅、軌道上からのフォボスの探査、IDEFIXによる衛星表面の探査、MMX探査機によるサンプル採取、そして地球への帰還まで、計画されているミッションプロファイルが描かれています。
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MMX mission – The journey to the Martian moon Phobos
How did Mars’ moons Phobos and Deimos form? The Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission aims to answer this very question. Developed by the Japanese space agency @JAXA-HQ, the spacecraft will explore Phobos from orbit and collect samples from its surface. On board MMX is the Idefix rover – a collaboration between the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the French space agency @CnesFrance. Idefix will land on Phobos, analyse its surface properties and help select a suitable landing site for the MMX mothership. The MMX mission is scheduled to launch from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center in 2026. This animation shows the planned mission timeline – from the journey to Mars and its moons, the exploration of Phobos from orbit and on the surface with the Idefix rover, to the sample collection by the mothercraft and its return to Earth. More information about the MMX mission: https://s.dlr.de/mmx-mission https://www.dlr.de/en
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JAXA's MMX mission is set to investigate the origins of the Martian moon Phobos
Mars may be the most-studied alien world in our solar system, but the Red Planet’s largest moon Phobos has managed to remain a mystery. Now, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will launch a mission called the Martian Moons eXplorer (MMX) to surveil Phobos up close — and if all goes well, to collect samples from the moon’s surface and return them to Earth in 2031. – Learn more ➤ https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26535290-800-why-we-must-investigate-phobos-the-solar-systems-strangest-object/ Subscribe ➤ https://bit.ly/NSYTSUBS Get more from New Scientist: Official website: https://bit.ly/NSYTHP Facebook: https://bit.ly/NSYTFB Twitter: https://bit.ly/NSYTTW Instagram: https://bit.ly/NSYTINSTA LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/NSYTLIN About New Scientist: New Scientist was founded in 1956 for “all those interested in scientific discovery and its social consequences”. Today our website, videos, newsletters, app, podcast and print magazine cover the world’s most important, exciting and entertaining science news as well as asking the big-picture questions about life, the universe, and what it means to be human. New Scientist https://www.newscientist.com/
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MMX : Stories behind IDEFIX Rover Development Unveiled /【MMX】3機関のプロマネが語るIDEFIXローバの開発秘話
On March 7 2024, the IDEFIX rover, jointly developed by the German Aerospace Agency (DLR) and French National Centre for Space Studies (CNES), was handed over to JAXA for integration onto the MMX (Martian Moons eXploration) spacecraft. The interview features stories behind IDEFIX’s development unveiled by the Project Managers from the three agencies (DLR/CNES/JAXA) who have been working closely with one another. See also : https://www.exploration.jaxa.jp/e/news/newspage/20240313.html 2024年3月7日、MMX（火星衛星探査計画）探査機への搭載に向けて、ドイツ航空宇宙センター（DLR）・フランス国立航空宇宙センター (CNES)が開発したIDEFIXローバがJAXAに引き渡されました。 この動画では、IDEFIXの開発秘話を、3機関のプロジェクトマネージャが自らの口で語ります。 ニュースページはこちら：https://www.exploration.jaxa.jp/news/newspage/20240313.html ※音声・字幕ともに英語となります。
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Japan Announces Plans To Bring Back Soil Samples From Mars Moon By 2029 | Forbes
As the new space race ramps up, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency announced a pivotal step in the hunt for evidence of life on Mars, which, if executed, means Japan could attain Martian soil samples and have the opportunity to study those samples for signs of life years before the U.S. and China. Stay Connected Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes More From Forbes: http://forbes.com
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MMX - Martian Moons eXploration mission movie
火星衛星探査計画（MMX）を紹介する動画です。 世界初の火星衛星サンプルリターンミッションです。 MMXの実現によって太陽系の惑星形成の謎を解く鍵が得られるでしょう。 2024年度打上げを目指して開発を進めています。 Mission to travel to Mars and survey the red planet’s two moons; Phobos and Deimos. The spacecraft will explore both moons and collect a sample from Phobos to bring back to Earth. ★火星衛星探査計画（MMX） 公式サイト https://www.mmx.jaxa.jp/ https://www.mmx.jaxa.jp/en/ ★火星衛星探査計画（MMX） Twitter @mmx_jaxa_jp @mmx_jaxa_en ★MMX-Newsサイト https://mmx-news.isas.jaxa.jp/?lang=ja 　https://mmx-news.isas.jaxa.jp/?lang=en #JAXA #宇宙航空研究開発機構 #火星衛星探査計画 #MMX #火星 #火星衛星 #フォボス #ダイモス #サンプルリターン
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About JAXA’s Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission
Ayumu Tokaji, Associate Senior Researcher JAXA, talks us through the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission, which is designed to land and drive on Phobos, Mars’s asteroid-like moon. This video is part of 2021 Asteroid Day LIVE Digital from Luxembourg. Visit our YouTube channel to watch the full five hour broadcast. Follow us! Facebook: www.facebook.com/AsteroidDay YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/asteroidday Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asteroidday Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/asteroidday --- Visit our website: https://asteroidday.org/ Subscribe to our newsletters: https://bit.ly/3hbgzb1 Asteroid Day is held on 30 June each year to mark the date of the Tunguska, Siberia event. Asteroid Day was co-founded by astrophysicist and famed musician Dr Brian May of the rock group Queen; Apollo 9 Astronaut Rusty Schweickart; Filmmaker Grig Richters; and B612 Foundation President Danica Remy, to educate the public about the importance of asteroids in our history, and the role they play in the solar system. In 2016, prompted by the leadership of the Association of Space Explorers (ASE), the United Nations declared Asteroid Day to be a global day of education to raise awareness and promote knowledge in the general public about asteroids. Thousands of independently organised events have taken place around the globe, encompassing 125 of the world’s 195 countries.
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Third International Conference on the Exploration of Phobos and Deimos: Konrad Willner
Nanoscale Landers and Instrument Carriers for the Martian Moons: Concepts & Technology Options Konrad Willner
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Hayabusa2 & MMX: Outreach Ideas for Present and Future Space Missions
Elizabeth Tasker (@girlandkat, JAXA) shares her experience of communicating the Hayabusa2 and the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) missions in English and the insights she gained from English language outreach from Japan to the world.
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The Advanced Engineering of JAXA’s MMX Spacecraft

Core Spacecraft Systems and Interplanetary Propulsion Flight Mechanics

  • Deploying a sophisticated multi-modular architecture: The Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft, engineered by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), represents a historic milestone in modern interplanetary space exploration. This massive robotic probe utilizes a high-efficiency propulsion system configured to navigate deep space and execute complex orbital insertion maneuvers within the harsh Martian gravity well safely.
  • Managing rigorous thermal and power operations: Built to withstand severe solar radiation transitions, the JAXA spacecraft integrates highly optimized solar array panels alongside advanced thermal insulation blankets. These vital engineering subsystems continuously power the primary command modules and ensure flight telemetry remains fully active throughout its extensive five-year multi-planet round-trip journey.

Scientific Instrumentation and Global Agency Payload Integration

  • Mapping unknown moon surfaces with high precision: The MMX spacecraft carries a state-of-the-art suite of seven specialized scientific payloads designed to study Phobos and Deimos closely. Key instruments include the NASA-contributed MEGANE gamma-ray and neutron spectrograph, which will perform high-precision surface elemental analysis to solve long-standing planetary creation mysteries.
  • Orchestrating autonomous surface exploration vehicles: JAXA has strategically collaborated with European space agencies to incorporate the specialized Idefix rover onto the primary spacecraft chassis. This autonomous micro-rover will safely separate from the orbiter to test soil dynamics directly on the low-gravity surface of Phobos, drastically minimizing landing risks for the main robotic retrieval vehicle.

Executing the First Mars Region Sample Return Operation

  • Initiating pioneering regolith collection mechanisms: The core engineering marvel of the JAXA spacecraft lies in its dual-action sample collection architecture. It integrates a robust mechanical coring drill alongside an innovative pneumatic sampler developed with NASA technology, allowing it to efficiently secure pristine moon fragments from deep under the outer surface layer.
  • Delivering ancient solar system samples back to Earth: After concluding detailed orbital surveys, the return capsule will fire its onboard thrusters to depart the Martian system and journey home. This highly anticipated sample return mission will deliver pristine material back to Earth around 2031, providing planetary scientists with unprecedented data regarding early planetary habitability and the origin of terrestrial water.

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