Japan is aiming for a scientific first. ABC News lists a headline that Japan is launching a spacecraft on a groundbreaking mission to bring back samples from Phobos, one of the moons of Mars. I have only seen the headline, so I do not have details on the launch date, the spacecraft or the schedule, and readers should check the Japanese space agency's announcements.
Why Phobos? Mars's moons are small, irregularly shaped bodies, and scientists are still debating where they came from. One idea is that they are captured asteroids, while another is that they formed from debris after a giant impact on Mars. Samples from the surface could help answer that question, and could also reveal information about the history of the Martian system.
Sample-return missions are difficult. The spacecraft must travel to the target, orbit or land, collect material, and then make the long journey home, with many opportunities for something to go wrong. Japan has experience from earlier missions that returned samples from asteroids, which is one reason the project is seen as credible, though I did not see the mission's full profile.
Even though the mission will take years, the launch is a milestone. Space missions inspire students and engineers and often lead to new technology. Readers interested in the subject can follow updates on the agency's website and watch for live coverage. It is also worth remembering that space exploration is a team effort involving scientists, technicians and partners from many countries. If the mission succeeds, the samples would give researchers a unique chance to study material from another planet's neighbourhood.
No comments:
Post a Comment