The Mars Moon Explorer spacecraft has successfully launched and is heading for Phobos. Arrival is scheduled in August 2027. During its mission, its Pneumatic sampler (P-Sampler) will use nitrogen gas to collect samples of Phobos, then the probe will study the moon for about three years before returning the samples to earth in 2031.
Operating in Phobos's ultra-low gravity environment makes mechanical drilling very difficult because there isn't enough gravity to push down against the surface (although there is apparently also a core drill on the lander). The P-Sampler gets around this problem by using high-pressure gas to blow about 10 grams of surface materials into a collection tube instantly without needing downward force. To prevent the gas thrust from flipping the lander, the spacecraft was cleverly designed to simultaneously also vent gas upward to balance out the force.
MMX will also use its gamma ray/neutron spectrometer to determine if Phobos is a captured asteroid or impact debris from Mars itself.
The main lander will collect the samples, but there is also a rover on the spacecraft that will scout the landing area first and do additional exploration once the main lander touches down.
After the probe has completed its lander mission and launched from Phobos, it will go into orbit around Mars before returning to earth. It will make multiple close flybys of Mars' other moon Deimos during those orbits, and it will have an opportunity to study its composition and compare it to Phobos.
Very cool mission and I hope the Japanese space agency is successful!
Returning the first samples from a Martian moon: Inside the science of Japan (space.com)
Space/Science » JAXA MMX on the way
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The Mars Moon Explorer spacecraft has successfully launched and is heading for Phobos. Arrival is scheduled in August 2027. During its mission, its Pneumatic sampler (P-Sampler) will use nitrogen gas to collect samples of Phobos and study it for about three years before returning the samples to earth in 2031.
Operating in Phobos's ultra-low gravity environment makes mechanical drilling very difficult because there isn't enough gravity to push down against the surface (although there is apparently also a core drill on the lander). The P-Sampler gets around this problem by using high-pressure gas to blow about 10 grams of surface materials into a collection tube instantly without needing downward force. To prevent the gas thrust from flipping the lander, the spacecraft was cleverly designed to simultaneously also vent gas upward to balance out the force.
MMX will also use its gamma ray/neutron spectrometer to determine if Phobos is a captured asteroid or impact debris from Mars itself.
The main lander will collect the samples, but there is also a rover on the spacecraft that will scout the landing area first and do additional exploration once the main lander touches down.
After the probe has completed its lander mission and launched from Phobos, it will go into orbit around Mars before returning to earth. It will make multiple close flybys of Mars' other moon Deimos during those orbits, and it will have an opportunity to study its composition and compare it to Phobos.
Very cool mission and I hope the Japanese space agency is successful!
Returning the first samples from a Martian moon: Inside the science of Japan (space.com)
The Mars Moon Explorer spacecraft has successfully launched and is heading for Phobos. Arrival is scheduled in August 2027. During its mission, its Pneumatic sampler (P-Sampler) will use nitrogen gas to collect samples of the Phobos and study it for about three years before returning the samples to earth in 2031.
Operating in Phobos's ultra-low gravity environment makes mechanical drilling very difficult because there isn't enough gravity to push down against the surface (although there is apparently also a core drill on the lander). The P-Sampler gets around this problem by using high-pressure gas to blow about 10 grams of surface materials into a collection tube instantly without needing downward force. To prevent the gas thrust from flipping the lander, the spacecraft was cleverly designed to simultaneously also vent gas upward to balance out the force.
MMX will also use its gamma ray/neutron spectrometer to determine if Phobos is a captured asteroid or impact debris from Mars itself.
The main lander will collect the samples, but there is also a rover on the spacecraft that will scout the landing area first and do additional exploration once the main lander touches down.
After the probe has completed its lander mission and launched from Phobos, it will go into orbit around Mars before returning to earth. It will make multiple close flybys of Mars' other moon Deimos during those orbits, and it will have an opportunity to study its composition and compare it to Phobos.
Very cool mission and I hope the Japanese space agency is successful!
Returning the first samples from a Martian moon: Inside the science of Japan (space.com)
The Mars Moon Explorer spacecraft has successfully launched and is heading for Phobos. Arrival is scheduled in August 2027. During its missions, and its Pneumatic sampler (P-Sampler) will use nitrogen gas to collect samples of the Phobos and study it for about three years before returning the samples to earth in 2031.
Operating in Phobos's ultra-low gravity environment makes mechanical drilling very difficult because there isn't enough gravity to push down against the surface (although there is apparently also a core drill on the lander). The P-Sampler gets around this problem by using high-pressure gas to blow about 10 grams of surface materials into a collection tube instantly without needing downward force. To prevent the gas thrust from flipping the lander, the spacecraft was cleverly designed to simultaneously also vent gas upward to balance out the force.
MMX will also use its gamma ray/neutron spectrometer to determine if Phobos is a captured asteroid or impact debris from Mars itself.
The main lander will collect the samples, but there is also a rover on the spacecraft that will scout the landing area first and do additional exploration once the main lander touches down.
After the probe has completed its lander mission and launched from Phobos, it will go into orbit around Mars before returning to earth. It will make multiple close flybys of Mars' other moon Deimos during those orbits, and it will have an opportunity to study its composition and compare it to Phobos.
Very cool mission and I hope the Japanese space agency is successful!
Returning the first samples from a Martian moon: Inside the science of Japan (space.com)
The Mars Moon Explorer spacecraft ahs successfully launched and is heading for Phobos. Arrival is scheduled in August 2027. During its missions, and its Pneumatic sampler (P-Sampler) will use nitrogen gas to collect samples of the Phobos and study it for about three years before returning the samples to earth in 2031.
Operating in Phobos's ultra-low gravity environment makes mechanical drilling very difficult because there isn't enough gravity to push down against the surface (although there is apparently also a core drill on the lander). The P-Sampler gets around this problem by using high-pressure gas to blow about 10 grams of surface materials into a collection tube instantly without needing downward force. To prevent the gas thrust from flipping the lander, the spacecraft was cleverly designed to simultaneously also vent gas upward to balance out the force.
MMX will also use its gamma ray/neutron spectrometer to determine if Phobos is a captured asteroid or impact debris from Mars itself.
The main lander will collect the samples, but there is also a rover on the spacecraft that will scout the landing area first and do additional exploration once the main lander touches down.
After the probe has completed its lander mission and launched from Phobos, it will go into orbit around Mars before returning to earth. It will make multiple close flybys of Mars' other moon Deimos during those orbits, and it will have an opportunity to study its composition and compare it to Phobos.
Very cool mission and I hope the Japanese space agency is successful!
Returning the first samples from a Martian moon: Inside the science of Japan (space.com)