How did Mars get its moons? Japan's MMX space mission aims to solve the puzzle
Japan's MMX space mission is set to launch to Mars' moons, Phobos and Deimos, to collect soil samples. Scientists hope the mission will clarify how these moons formed, testing theories like the giant impact hypothesis.
Why it matters
Understanding the formation of Martian moons provides deeper insight into the history of the solar system and planetary evolution.
edited by Lisa Lock , reviewed by Andrew Zinin
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
Add to Preferred Sources Phobos is dominated by Stickney crater, a 9km (5.6-mile) bowl visible on the right. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona The Earth got its moon when a small planet collided with our planet more than 4 billion years ago. This impact hurled molten rock into space, which eventually coalesced to form the satellite we can see every night from across our planet.
But what of our neighbor, Mars? The red planet has two small, irregularly shaped moons called Phobos and Deimos. There are several theories on how these natural satellites formed, but no clear front-runner. Soon, a Japanese-led space mission called Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) will begin its hunt for the answer.
Also covering this story
2 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in