MMX mission successfully launches – Idefix® rover on its way to Martian moon Phobos

Dorothee Bär, Federal Minister of Research, Technology and Space, adds: "I am delighted by the successful launch of the MMX mission, including the Idefix^® rover. Germany's space sector is impressively demonstrating what it is capable of: high-precision technology that must continue to function perfectly in the vastness of space on Mars' moon Phobos. I am particularly proud that DLR, together with the French space agency CNES, is making a significant contribution to this mission. Japan, Germany and France – JAXA, DLR and CNES – are jointly driving forward the exploration of our Solar System. At the same time, with Idefix^®, we are also breaking new technological ground – that is high-tech working hand in hand."

A leap into the unknown – landing and driving in extreme microgravity

For the team, the most exciting moment of the mission will come around the turn of the year 2028/2029, when MMX releases Idefix^® from a height of approximately 40 to 100 metres above the surface of Phobos. After an unbraked impact, a rebound and the resulting bounces across the surface, the rover will autonomously right itself from its resting position, deploy its solar panels and begin its 100 days of exploration.

The environmental conditions place extreme demands on the technology. The gravity on Phobos is less than one thousandth of that on Earth, and temperatures fluctuate by more than 200 degrees Celsius over a seven-hour day-night cycle.

"Landing and driving on Phobos is uncharted territory for robotics", explains Markus Grebenstein, DLR project manager for Idefix^®. "In terms of design, this requires extremely lightweight construction combined with robustness. In addition, the long signal travel times to Earth call for entirely new approaches to controlling the rover. Our first real test will be getting the rover to right itself from any position in this unknown environment."

Idefix^® will investigate different areas of Phobos and gather insights into the mechanical, thermal and mineralogical properties of its surface. Two DLR instruments are on board for this purpose – the RAX Raman spectrometer and the miniRAD radiometer. The rover's measurements will also provide information for selecting a suitable landing site and for the later sampling by the MMX mothercraft.

Mission preparation and rover operations at DLR in Cologne

At the control centre in DLR's Microgravity User Support Center (MUSC) in Cologne, preparations for operating Idefix^® are in full swing. Following launch, the initial focus will be on the cruise phase to Mars, during which time the rover will remain docked to the MMX spacecraft. Taking turns with the control centre in Toulouse and working together with the German-French rover team, MUSC is planning and preparing the command sequences for regular health checks, instrument calibrations and maintenance tasks, such as charging the battery. A software update is also scheduled during the flight.

While the MMX spacecraft is travelling to Mars, the research and operations teams are preparing for the exploration of Phobos by developing and rehearsing operational procedures and carrying out tests. These preparations will be stepped up once the spacecraft arrives at Mars.

MMX aims to solve the mystery of Mars' moons

The MMX mission aims to answer a key question in planetary science: how did the two Martian moons, Phobos and Deimos, form? Are they asteroids that were captured by Mars’ gravity, or did they form from the debris of massive impacts on the planet? Both moons are irregular in shape and, with diameters of up to 27 kilometres (Phobos) and 15 kilometres (Deimos), are comparatively small. Their formation history could provide important insights into the evolution of the Martian system and more general processes of planetary formation.

Following its arrival in summer 2027, the MMX probe will initially study the moons of Mars from orbit using eight scientific instruments. After deploying Idefix^®, the probe is also set to land on Phobos itself, collect at least ten grams of soil samples and send them back to Earth in a return capsule in 2031. This would mark the first time that samples from a Martian moon could be analysed in laboratories on Earth.

Yasuhiro Kawakatsu, MMX project manager at JAXA: "As I watched the rocket H3 F10 soar into the sky, my thoughts went back to the very beginning of this project more than a decade ago. Inside the fairing was a spacecraft conceived, designed and built by an international team united by a shared vision. Together, we have created a world-class mission and assembled an unparalleled suite of scientific instruments to explore the Martian moons. The Idefix^® rover, jointly developed by DLR and CNES, is a vital part of that mission. As the first vehicle to attempt operations on the surface of a Martian moon, it will provide unique insights into Phobos and help prepare for one of the mission's most challenging undertakings: collecting a sample from its surface. Reaching this moment has required perseverance, innovation and, above all, close cooperation between partners around the world. We have overcome many challenges together, and I look forward to the discoveries that await us as we continue this journey to Phobos."

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