Returning samples from a Mars moon: Inside the science of Japan's bold MMX mission

Japan’s MMX mission represents a significant step in understanding the Martian system, potentially resolving a longstanding debate regarding the formation of its moons, Phobos and Deimos. Scientists believe this endeavor will test competing hypotheses about whether these celestial bodies originated from impacts on Mars or formed closer to the Sun. The mission is poised to be the inaugural spaceflight to capture samples directly from an orbit around Mars and subsequently return them to Earth for detailed analysis. This ambitious project utilizes a sample return lander designed to collect material from the surface of one of the moons. Data collected during the mission could revolutionize our knowledge of planetary evolution and the early solar system.