On 19 October 2026, a probe is launching towards Mars, though not to land there. Its target is Phobos and Deimos, the Red Planet's two moons. The goal? To collect material from Phobos and bring it back to Earth as early as 2031, with France and Germany as partners in this scientific adventure.
Why is 19 October a key date for Mars?
The goal is to collect material from the larger of the Red Planet's two satellites, then bring it back to Earth.
On 19 October 2026, a launch window opens for the MMX probe. Its destination: the Red Planet's two moons, Phobos and Deimos.
Phobos and Deimos are two strange little moons, far less famous than their planet. The MMX probe sets course for them on this 19 October.
What will the probe bring back, and when?
The goal can be summed up in one sentence: to collect material from the larger of the Red Planet’s two satellites, then bring it back to Earth. A seemingly simple gesture, yet one that demands formidable precision, carried out millions of kilometres away.
The return is set for 2031. By then, the probe will have brought back the most distant samples ever collected. Patience is key: several years will pass between lift-off and laboratory analysis.
Who are the partners in this mission?
International cooperation is the rule behind this mission. France and Germany are among the partners committed to the project. Together, they pool their scientific and technical expertise to study Phobos and Deimos, the Red Planet's two satellites.
The appointment, then, is set for 2031: that is when Phobos and Deimos will truly begin to tell us their story. Until then, one simple image sums it up: a probe launching on this 19 October towards two little-known moons, carried by cooperation between France and Germany.
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