JAKARTA – The Japanese Space Agency (JAXA) has postponed the launch schedule of the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission. The project to collect samples from Phobos, the moon of Mars, will be postponed until 2026.
JAXA said Space news that the MMX launch had to be postponed due to the H3 rocket. This is not surprising because the rocket failed to reach orbit when it was tested in March last year.
According to JAXA, this rocket is not yet ready for launch in September this year. They are therefore evaluating the launch and plan to test the H3 rocket again on February 14.
“Due to the evaluation of the demonstration results of the second test vehicle of the H3 rocket and considering the importance of ensuring sufficient time for the initial verification of the MMX in the field, the Japanese rocket launch schedule has been revised,” JAXA said Wednesday 10 January. .
In fact, since last year, JAXA has submitted a program change to Japan’s Space Development Strategy Headquarters. This plan was also approved in the revised timetable of the basic plan for space policy in December.
Shortly after approval, the MMX team announced that the launch schedule had changed. Even though it was announced, they did not explain in detail the reasons why the government agency proposed to delay the launch.
MMX is an exploration mission to two Martian moons, namely Phobos and Deimos. The spacecraft that will be launched into space will enter Mars orbit, then move to Quasi-Satellite Orbit (QSO) to collect data from Phobos.
In addition to collecting data, MMX will land and collect samples from the surface of Phobos. These samples will be stored on board and the collected material will be brought to Earth for research by JAXA.
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Tag: Jaxa space rocket
2024-01-11 16:05:00
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