IDEFIX Rover Set to Embark on Pioneering Journey to Martian Moon Phobos

Written by Copernical Team Tuesday, 16 January 2024 22:31

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Berlin, Germany (SPX) Jan 16, 2024

The Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission, under the leadership of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), is gearing up for a historic endeavor with the German-French rover IDEFIX poised to play a pivotal role. This ambitious mission aims to unravel the enigmatic origins of Mars' moons, Phobos and Deimos, marking a significant leap in our quest to understand the Martian system. T

IDEFIX Rover Set to Embark on Pioneering Journey to Martian Moon Phobos
by Robert Schreiber
Berlin, Germany (SPX) Jan 16, 2024

The Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission, under the leadership of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), is gearing up for a historic endeavor with the German-French rover IDEFIX poised to play a pivotal role. This ambitious mission aims to unravel the enigmatic origins of Mars' moons, Phobos and Deimos, marking a significant leap in our quest to understand the Martian system.

The IDEFIX rover, a collaborative mission between the German space agency DLR and the French space agency CNES, has embarked on its journey to Japan, with its integration into the MMX mother craft scheduled for February 2024. This milestone follows the completion of the rover's construction at CNES's facility in Toulouse, with DLR having delivered the partially assembled rover and two instruments in 2022.

Anke Kaysser-Pyzalla, Chair of the DLR Executive Board, expressed her enthusiasm about this international collaboration, stating, "Together with our French partners at CNES, we are delighted that IDEFIX is now making its way to Japan to travel to the martian moon Phobos on board the MMX mission in close cooperation with JAXA." She highlighted the significance of the partnership with Japan and France across various research areas, emphasizing the collaborative spirit of the mission.

Philippe Baptiste, President of CNES, echoed this sentiment, underscoring the mission's importance in advancing our knowledge of the Solar System. He remarked, "We are very happy that IDEFIX is now traveling to Japan. This is another important milestone in the fruitful cooperation between CNES, JAXA, and DLR on the MMX mission."

IDEFIX's journey to the Martian moon is not just a physical one but also a technological marvel. The rover, weighing a mere 25 kilograms, boasts a highly integrated construction, crucial for its survival on Phobos. Markus Grebenstein, the DLR Project Manager for IDEFIX, pointed out the uniqueness of the rover, "The special thing about this rover for the MMX mission is its extremely compact design. IDEFIX essentially has all the elements of a fully-fledged scientific rover, but it only weighs 25 kilograms thanks to its highly integrated construction."

The mission sequence is meticulously planned. After its launch in 2026, the MMX spacecraft will embark on a year-long journey to Mars, arriving in 2027 to commence its exploration. The spacecraft, equipped with eight scientific instruments, will map and analyze the surfaces of Phobos and Deimos. IDEFIX will then make its pioneering landing on Phobos, autonomously righting itself for a three-month mission phase. This phase is critical, as Stephane Mary, CNES Project Manager for IDEFIX, highlights, "The biggest challenge for IDEFIX is that it has to carry out many operations - particularly the uprighting after landing on Phobos - fully autonomously."

Yasuhiro Kawakatsu, MMX Project Manager at JAXA, shared his excitement about welcoming IDEFIX to Japan, where the MMX spacecraft is currently being developed. Despite the launch's postponement from 2024 to 2026, Kawakatsu reaffirmed the mission's significance, stating, "Even though the launch has been postponed... this does not change the importance of the mission or the impact it will have with the world's first sample return from the martian system."

The MMX mission is not just a scientific endeavor but a testament to international cooperation in space exploration. With contributions from NASA, ESA, CNES, and DLR, the mission builds on the legacy of the successful Hayabusa2 mission, which saw JAXA's spacecraft return samples from asteroid Ryugu. The German-French MMX rover is a product of joint leadership, with DLR contributing its expertise in rover chassis and locomotion systems, and CNES providing crucial camera systems and the central service module.

DLR's involvement extends beyond the rover's physical components. Its institutes of Robotics and Mechatronics, System Dynamics and Control, Lightweight Systems, Space Systems, Optical Sensor Systems, Planetary Research and Software Technology, as well as the Microgravity User Support Center (MUSC), all contribute to the mission's success.

The MMX mission represents a continuation of a long-standing successful partnership between JAXA, CNES, and DLR. It follows in the footsteps of the Hayabusa2 mission, which not only achieved a successful sample return but also delivered groundbreaking insights into the asteroid Ryugu, providing invaluable data on a landscape strewn with boulders and rocks.