# NASA to outline its role in Japan’s Martian moons mission

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Topic: Science · Status: published · Version: 1
Published: 2026-10-08T20:33:30.113Z · Updated: 2026-10-08T20:33:30.113Z
Record: https://davids.news/s/nasa-to-outline-its-role-in-japan-s-martian-moons-mission-32ffa042

NASA says a briefing will preview its contributions to JAXA’s MMX mission, scheduled to launch in October.

- NASA lists a gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer, a surface sampler mechanism, and Deep Space Network support among its contributions.

Why it matters: The mission is intended to survey Phobos and return a sample to Earth, according to NASA.

What’s next: NASA says MMX is scheduled to reach Mars in August 2027, collect a Phobos sample no earlier than December 2028, and deliver it to Earth in 2031.

## Original sources

- [NASA](<https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-briefing-to-highlight-contributions-to-martian-moons-mission>) — primary announcement
  Source: Jessica Taveau · NASA 2026 · Original report: 2026-10-08T20:22:12.000Z

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