Japan launches mission to retrieve sample from Mars' moon Phobos
Japanese spacecraft will land on Phobos, collect 10 g of dust, and return it to Earth in 2031.
Key facts
- Mission will launch from Japan on Monday.
- Spacecraft will arrive at Phobos in August 2027.
- Sample size will be 10 g.
- Return capsule will land in Woomera desert, South Australia, in 2031.
- Mission is first to return a sample from Mars or its moons.
According to BBC, the Japanese Space Agency will launch the Mars Moons Exploration spacecraft on Monday. The launch will take place from Japan. The spacecraft will travel to Mars and arrive at Phobos in August 2027.
The mission will first study Deimos, the smaller of Mars' two moons. After that, the spacecraft will focus on Phobos. A small rover will land on Phobos to scout a safe landing site for the main spacecraft.
Once on the surface, the rover will deploy a robotic arm and two samplers to collect moon dust. The collected material will be packed into a capsule. The capsule will return to Earth in 2031, landing in the Woomera desert of South Australia.
The sample will weigh 10 g. Scientists say that even this small amount can provide valuable data. The analysis will help decide whether Phobos formed from a collision or was captured from the asteroid belt.
Prof Sara Russell of the Natural History Museum is the mission’s deputy for sample analysis. Dr Chrysa Avdellidou of Leicester University is working with the Japanese team. Their work will examine the chemistry and mineral composition of the dust.
Context
Phobos is one of two small moons orbiting Mars, about 20 km across. Its origin is unclear, with theories that it formed from debris of an impact or was captured from the asteroid belt.
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