The space agencies of Japan, France and Germany have signed a memorandum of cooperation to bring back rock samples from Mars moons for the first time.

CTOnews.com, June 26, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) recently signed a memorandum of cooperation with the French National Space Research Center (CNES) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) at the Paris Air Show to install the small rover on the Mars Satellite probe (MMX) that JAXA is developing, while the MMX probe will bring back rock samples from the Mars satellite for the first time.

▲ Tuyuan JAXA at the signing ceremony, the three parties determined that the rover was nicknamed "IDEFIX", which was jointly developed by French and German space agencies.

IDEFIX will follow MMX to Phobos, one of two Martian moons, in 2024. According to the plan, MMX will release IDEFIX as a "scout" when he reaches Phobos. IDEFIX will propel itself on the surface of Phobos (CTOnews.com Note: Phobos gravity is only 1/2000 of the surface), and through this process will provide information for the spacecraft to land safely.

The IDEFIX is currently undergoing final assembly and commissioning at the CNES plant in Toulouse, France, and is expected to be shipped to Japan this summer. The MMX probe is scheduled to launch in 2024, and it will take about a year to reach Mars and enter orbit, after which it will investigate Phobos and Phobos, and will land on Phobos.