Phobos MMX

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Das ist jetzt bereits der dritte Anlauf, die mehrmals abgewürgten Threads zu Phobos MMX wiederzubeleben:

Martian Moons eXploration (MMX)

The spacecraft will enter orbit around Mars before transferring to Phobos, where it will land once or twice and collect regolith samples using a pneumatic sampling system. The mission is designed to return at least 10 grams of material from the moon's surface. After departing Phobos, the spacecraft will conduct several flybys of Deimos before releasing a return capsule for Earth, with sample return planned for 2031.​

Nominelle Startzeit: 20. Okt. 2026, 4:41:03 Uhr (Japanische Standardzeit) = 19. Okt. 2026, 21:41:03 MESZ heute Abend.

Live Übertragung heute Abend von etwa 55 Minuten vor dem Start bis etwa 75 Minuten nach dem Start

Japan to launch historic round-trip mission to Mars moon

The flagship H3 rocket carrying the MMX is set to blast off from the Tanegashima Space Center Tuesday at 4:41 a.m. (1941 GMT Monday), according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).​

A Japanese Spacecraft Aims to Bring Back a Bit of a Martian Moon

Gruß, Peter

 

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JAXA MMX

 

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Bislang verlief alles nach Plan und MMX ist auf dem Weg zum Mars:

space.com

It was the 10th liftoff of Japan's expendable, two-stage H3 rocket, which was jointly developed by JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. After clearing its launch pad today, the 207-foot-tall (63 meters) launch vehicle flew a nominal trajectory through its ascent corridor over the Pacific Ocean, jettisoning its four solid boosters in pairs just before the flight clock reached two minutes. The rocket shed its payload fairings about one minute and 20 seconds later.​

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All continued to go to plan after that. The H3's upper stage ignited its engine for a second time for a trans-Mars injection burn about one hour and four minutes after liftoff, a maneuver that lasted roughly six minutes and 25 seconds and took MMX to a maximum velocity of about 24,145 mph (38,858 km/h).​

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MMX was released from the rocket's upper stage right on schedule, about one minute after the completion of that burn and roughly 71 minutes after liftoff. The success elicited loud cheers in mission control, which viewers saw and heard on JAXA's launch webcast.​

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MMX is now under its own power, and on course for Mars. The interplanetary transit will last about 10 months, with the spacecraft scheduled to arrive at the Red Planet in August 2027. When it does, MMX's propulsion module will execute an orbital insertion burn to place itself in a quasi-satellite orbit (QSO) around Phobos, which places MMX within the space around the moon as both circle Mars.​

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Gruß, Peter

 

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»Idefix« soll den Marsmond erforschen