Science & Exploration
MMX spacecraft: three modules
The Martian Moon eXploration (MMX) mission will explore Mars’s two moons: Phobos and Deimos. It will do so by flying right up close to them, and even landing on Phobos to collect a sample, before returning to Earth.
The MMX spacecraft comprises three modules, shown separated in this image. On the left is the propulsion module, which will bring the spacecraft into orbit around Mars. The middle is the return module, which carries all the necessary power and communication systems and will return the collected Phobos sample back to Earth. On the right is the exploration module, which consists of the landing and sample collection gear as well as many of the scientific instruments.
