Space & Astronomy

By T.K. Randall
October 18, 2026

Image: Phobos
Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / University of Arizona / (PD)

The spacecraft will venture to what has been dubbed one of the 'most important unclimbed mountains in the solar system.'

Mars itself has been visited numerous times over the years, yet relatively little exploration has ever been attempted with regard to its two small moons - Phobos and Deimos.

This is now set to change, however, thanks to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) which plans to send a spacecraft to not only visit Phobos, but to collect samples and return them to Earth.

The probe is expected to reach Phobos in August 2027 and will spend three years orbiting it.

A special exploration module will descend on to the surface to collect the samples which will ultimately be returned home in a separate heat-protected capsule designed to withstand re-entry.

One of the main goals of the mission will be to settle the question of Phobos' origins.

Some believe that the two moons of Mars were formed from debris created by an impact on its surface, while others suggest that they could be asteroids captured by the planet's gravity.

An analysis of the samples retrieved from Phobos should help to settle the debate.

"We can almost certainly come to a conclusion by analyzing soil samples," said mission principal investigator Kiyoshi Kuramoto.

Source: The Guardian

Tags: Phobos, Mars