Deimos

Japan is moving forward with a mission to one of Mars's two moons, part of its growing space exploration programme. The mission targets Phobos or Deimos, aiming to return samples that could shed light on the Martian system's origins. Observers see it as another step in Japan's ambitions alongside missions like Hayabusa2.

New reporting suggests that dust from the Martian moons, Phobos and Deimos, could hold clues about the early history of the solar system. Scientists are increasingly interested in sampling material from these small, poorly understood moons, which may contain debris from Mars or ancient asteroids. The idea is fueling discussion about future missions that could return samples to Earth.

The Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission, led by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency with NASA participation, is drawing attention as it prepares to visit Mars's two moons, Phobos and Deimos. The spacecraft plans to land on Phobos and return samples to Earth, which scientists hope will clarify the moons' origins and the history of the Martian system.