NASA Details Support for JAXA's Upcoming Mars Moons Mission

NASA has specified its scientific and technological contributions to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)-led Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission. The mission, set to launch on October 20, 2026, aims to investigate the origins of Mars' moons, Phobos and Deimos, and return samples from Phobos to Earth by 2031. NASA will receive at least 15% of the returned samples for analysis, underscoring international collaboration in space exploration and advancing planetary science.