Japanese Spacecraft Embarks on Five-Year Odyssey to Probe Martian Moon Origins

Scientists hope the mission, which is expected to take five years, will provide clues to how Phobos and its smaller sibling Deimos formed, and hopefully even shed light on the origins of life in the solar system

Source

The Hindu — Science & Tech →

Quick Revision

Prelims-testable facts

01The mission to collect samples from Phobos is expected to take five years.
02Phobos is one of the two small, potato-shaped moons orbiting Mars.
03The mission is being developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
04The mission aims to provide clues to how Phobos and its smaller sibling Deimos formed.
05The mission may shed light on the origins of life in the solar system.
06The Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) is the name of the robotic space probe set for launch in 2026.
07Phobos is the larger of the two Martian moons.

Trap alerts

Most people think the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission is the first to attempt to collect samples from Phobos, but actually Japan had announced the mission in 2015.
Most people think the mission will provide definitive proof of the origins of life in the solar system, but actually it will only provide clues.

Prelims Practice MCQs

Single facteasy

Which of the following is the destination of the Japanese spacecraft on its mission?

A.Phobos, a Martian moon
B.Deimos, a Martian moon
C.Mars, the planet
D.Saturn, a planet

Phobos is a Martian moon targeted by the Japanese spacecraft for sample collection. The mission aims to provide clues to the formation of Phobos and its smaller sibling Deimos.

Multiple statementsmedium

Consider the following statements regarding Japanese Space Mission: 1. The mission is expected to take 10 years. 2. The mission aims to provide clues to how Phobos and its smaller sibling Deimos formed. 3. The mission may shed light on the origins of life in the solar system. How many of the above statements are correct?

A.Only one
B.Only two
C.All three
D.None

Statement 1 is false because the fact list states the mission is expected to take 5 years. Statement 2 is true because the fact list states the mission aims to provide clues to how Phobos and Deimos formed. Statement 3 is true because the fact list states the mission may shed light on the origins of life in the solar system.

← All current affairs