NEWS

　　JAXA's Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) will carry a rover jointly developed by DLR (German Aerospace Center) and CNES (National Centre for Space Studies). The rover will be released from the MMX spacecraft above the Martian moon Phobos, and will land on the moon to observe its surface and contribute to a safe and secure landing of the MMX spacecraft.

　　On June 20, 2023, at the Paris Air Show (Le Bourget) organized in Paris, France, JAXA President Hiroshi Yamakawa, Chair of the DLR Executive Board Anke Kaysser-Pyzalla, DLR Executive Board Member and Director General of the German Space Agency Walther Pelzer, and CNES CEO Philippe Baptiste signed a trilateral Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) concerning cooperative activities on the rover within the MMX mission.
　　At the same occasion, DLR/CNES announced that the nickname for the rover has been chosen as "IDEFIX”.

Signing of MOC at the Paris Air Show (June 20, 2023)

Model of "IDEFIX"

　　JAXA cooperated with DLR/CNES during the successful Hayabusa 2 asteroid sample return mission which carried the DLR-CNES co-developed small lander “MASCOT”, and will once again cooperate towards a successful MMX mission.

See JAXA/CNES/DLR joint press release here

To learn more about MMX：http://www.mmx.jaxa.jp/en/