The MMX Rover Mission to Phobos: Science Objectives

Paper number

IAC-21,A3,4A,7,x64762

Author

Dr. Stephan Ulamec, Germany, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR)

Coauthor

Dr. Patrick Michel, France, University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur

Coauthor

Dr. Matthias Grott, Germany, DLR (German Aerospace Center)

Coauthor

Dr. Ute Böttger, Germany, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin

Coauthor

Prof. Heinz-Wilhelm Hübers, Germany, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin

Coauthor

Dr. Yuichiro Cho, Japan, University of Tokyo

Coauthor

Prof. Fernando Rull, Spain, Universidad de Valladolid

Coauthor

Dr. Naomi Murdoch, France, ISAE-Supaero University of Toulouse

Coauthor

Dr. Pierre Vernazza, France, Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille

Coauthor

Dr. Jens Biele, Germany, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR)

Coauthor

Dr. Simon Tardivel, France, Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES)

Year

2021

Abstract

The Mars Moon eXploration (MMX) mission by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA, is going to explore the Martian Moons Phobos and Deimos. It will investigate the moons remotely and also return samples from Phobos back to Earth.  In addition, MMX will deliver a small (about 25 kg) Rover to the surface.

The Rover accommodates a payload of four scientific instruments:  a Raman spectrometer (RAX) to measure the mineralogical composition of the surface material, a stereo pair of cameras looking affront NavCam (also used for navigation), to provide the properties of the investigated area, a radiometer (miniRAD) to measure the surface brightness temperature and determine thermal properties of both regolith and rocks (if in the field of view), and two cameras looking at the wheel-surface interface, WheelCam, to investigate the properties and dynamics of the regolith. The cameras will, thus, serve for both, technological and scientific needs. 

After delivery from the main spacecraft, the Rover shall be able to operate for about 100 days and investigate the terrain along its path of several tens of meters. This will allow putting the returned samples into context, providing ground truth, studying the surface heterogeneity and obtaining information on the physical properties of undisturbed surface material, as well as dynamical properties of the regolith subject to the wheel motions. 

MMX is planned to be launched in September 2024, the Rover delivery is currently planned for 2026 - 2027.

The Rover is a contribution by the Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES) and the German
Aerospace Center (DLR) with additional contributions from INTA (Spain) and JAXA.

Abstract document

IAC-21,A3,4A,7,x64762.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-21,A3,4A,7,x64762.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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