The MMX mission aims to collect a 15-gram sample from Phobos. It is on the way to Mars.

“This artist's concept of JAXA's Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission shows the deployed spacecraft, Mars, and Mars's largest moon, Phobos, all together. MMX will orbit and survey Phobos from up close before deploying a rover to scout out the surface, and then land on it to collect samples and return them to Earth: the most ambitious sample return mission yet to be conducted in space exploration history.” (BigThink, MMX mission to reveal the origins of the Martian moons)

JAXA's mission to Mars is to bring 15 grams of Martian moon dust to Earth. This mission is the next step in Japanese space innovation. The last mission brought samples from asteroids. The new mission is more difficult. The 25 kg IDEFIX rover collects samples from Phobos. The new mission is called Mars Moons eXploration (MMX). The spacecraft uses multiple sensors. Researchers hope. That. They can solve the secrets of the carbon asteroid called Phobos. The thing. That makes Phobos and Deimos very interesting is this. They are carbon asteroids. Maybe. Mars captured those asteroids. Or, in some other models, a cosmic catastrophe separated them from Mars. In some models, Phobos is like a pile of gravel. In some other models, it’s like some diamond. A third model suggests that Phobos is sand. That ice binds together. 

The MMX can answer that question. If Phobos is dense material, it could have formed when a cosmic catastrophe threw it away from Mars. The gravity could destroy the pile of gravel. MMX can also answer the question. Do those moons, Phobos and Deimos, have the same origin? 

Their surface is covered by dust. That makes it hard to get data from their surface. That. Dark. Or brown dust is the reason. For. Why those moons are classified as “carbon asteroids”. The dust is similar to that that covers our Moon. But the main part of those moons' surface It is hidden under that dust. 

“The relative sizes of the asteroid-like moons of Mars, Phobos and Deimos. Phobos is the innermost moon of Mars, while the smaller Deimos is more than twice as far away. Despite their appearances as looking similar to asteroids, it’s thought that Phobos and Deimos were once joined by a larger, third, inner moon, which has since decayed and fallen back to Mars. All are thought to originate from a giant, ancient impact.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech.” (BigThink, MMX mission to reveal the origins of the Martian moons)

“This artist’s concept shows Japan’s Mars Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft, carrying a NASA instrument to study the Martian moons Phobos and Deimos. The mission will contain a sample return component, and after collecting material from Phobos in 2027, it should return that component to Earth in the year 2031. We could know if Mars possessed ancient life, and if Phobos is made out of Martian material, just 5 years after the successful launch of MMX.”(BigThink, MMX mission to reveal the origins of the Martian moons)

The probe itself carries multiple very high-accuracy sensors. The list of those sensors is from the BigThink web magazine. 

TENGOO is a high-resolution camera, resolving features as small as 40 centimetres (16 inches) on the surface, and can scout out a safe landing site.

OROCHI is a multiwavelength and wide-angle imager, perfect for identifying organic matter and water-rich material.

LIDAR is a laser altimeter that will measure altitude and reflectivity everywhere on the surface.

MIRS is an infrared spectrometer that will map out the distribution of any water-related substance over the entire surface.

MEGANE is a gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer that can map out the chemical elements composing the Martian moons.

CMDM is a dust monitor that can detect any dust rings around Mars, down to a minimum size of as little as 10 microns.

MSA is a mass spectrometer that will measure ions released by the moon itself, revealing the presence and cycles of ices.

(BigThink, MMX mission to reveal the origins of the Martian moons)

“Rather than only the two Martian moons we see today, Phobos and Deimos, a collision followed by a circumplanetary disk may have given rise to three moons of Mars, where only two survive today. The idea is that Mars’s once-innermost moon was destroyed and fell back onto Mars long ago. This hypothetical transient moon of Mars, proposed in a 2016 paper, is now the leading idea in the formation of Mars’s moons, and helps explain the enormous differences in topography between Mars’s northern and southern hemispheres. Credit: LabEx UnivEarthS | Université de Paris Diderot.”(BigThink, MMX mission to reveal the origins of the Martian moons)

“This cute little guy is a model of the IDEFIX rover: a small rover designed to be landed on Phobos in advance of the main sample collection and return lander. The IDEFIX rover is 23 kilograms in mass, which would have the equivalent weight on Phobos of just 15 grams. By characterizing. the moon’s soil in advance and testing the ability to operate a wheeled vehicle on an ultra-low-density body, it will pave the way for the success of the sample return portion of the MMX mission. Credit: Artvill/Wikimedia Commons. “(BigThink, MMX mission to reveal the origins of the Martian moons)

“The Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) instrument, part of Mars Global Surveyor, collected over 200 million laser altimeter measurements in constructing this topographic map of Mars. The Tharsis region (centre-left) is the highest elevation region on the planet, while the lowlands appear in blue. Note the much lower elevation of the northern hemisphere compared to the southern, with a mean difference in elevation of around ~5 km, thought to arise from the fallback of a third, large, former Martian moon.

Credit: Mars Global Surveyor MOLA Team.” (BigThink, MMX mission to reveal the origins of the Martian moons)

“This close-up image of asteroid Itokawa was taken by the Hayabusa spacecraft in 2005 near its closest approach to the asteroid. Different parts of the asteroid have different densities, indicating that it formed as a contact binary from two predecessor “dirty snowball” asteroids. Itokawa likely has a history where several different smaller objects merged together to form what we see today: a common story among asteroid belt and Kuiper belt objects in our Solar System. Itokawa was the first object beyond Earth’s orbit to be successfully landed on, sampled, and to have its material returned to Earth.

Credit: JAXA “ (BigThink, MMX mission to reveal the origins of the Martian moons)

The mission's purpose is to find out: 

Was Mars ever home to life?

Was Phobos the result of a Martian impact or an asteroid capture event?

When will deposited Martian material display signs of being hydrated versus anhydrous?

(BigThink, MMX mission to reveal the origins of the Martian moons)

The problem is that the sensors must dig through the dust. Before. They can see Phobos’s surface. The probe uses a small rover to collect those samples. The probe drops that rover on Phobos. Before. It lands. The IDEFIX is the first rover to travel so far in the solar system. 

The Big Think magazine describes IDEFIX like this: 

And, in addition to all of those, IDEFIX is the small, mobile rover that will land on and explore the surface of Phobos before the main spacecraft lands to collect data and samples fit for the sample return component. There are three main drilling, sampling, collection, and return instruments:

CSMP, which will excavate the surface of Phobos to a depth of 2 cm (just under 1 inch), filling a core soil tube for the sample return capsule.

P-SMP, which will collect surface material pneumatically by injecting nitrogen gas on sub-second timescales.

And SRC, which is the sample return capsule that will store the samples collected by CSMP and P-SMP and return them to Earth’s surface.

(BigThink, MMX mission to reveal the origins of the Martian moons)

This kind of system requires highly advanced artificial intelligence and advanced mission planning. This sample-collecting system can collect data for new missions. Its purpose could be to return samples from Mars. Those samples can tell us whether Mars was once alive. And they can also answer questions.  Why is Mars dry? Maybe. There was liquid water. Only for a short time. There is a possibility. That. Prokaryotic bacteria formed on that planet. 

https://www.astronomy.com/space-exploration/japan-prepares-to-launch-sample-return-mission-to-phobos/

https://bigthink.com/starts-with-a-bang/mmx-mission-origins-martian-moons/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deimos_(moon)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phobos_(moon)

Laser weapons. Are more dangerous than nobody expects.

The new ground-based laser weapons are more dangerous than we thought. They would be. Those, maybe carbon dioxide- or carbon crystal-based systems. Can reach very high energy levels. Those laser beams are invisible to the human eye. And they can cut very strong steel plates. This means that those weapons can destroy drone swarms. They can also destroy other vehicles. But what makes them dangerous is that they are invisible to the human eye. IR lasers don’t create sound. 

And all they need is a light source. The acetylene light can be turned into a lightning tube. That pumps energy into the laser element. Or. If the laser uses electric light. That system requires electricity. The images that we see introduce regular military lasers. 

In regular military vehicles. Lasers can be mounted on small ground drones. Or in lightweight armored vehicles. High-energy industrial lasers with the 20 kW power class and less than 2 m long. The same lasers can also be mounted on UGVs. 

But laser weapons are an excellent tool for sabotage operations. Those weapons can be mounted on a lorry or van. The laser can shoot its beam through a small hole. This means. That. The weapon can be hidden in civilian vehicles. 

The UGVs on drill. 

Things. Like walls cannot protect targets. The system can shoot the laser beam through the mirror. That mirror can be installed in the drone. It can hover near the target. Mirrors can also aim laser beams around corners. Drones that aim the beam can make complicated formations. They can aim the beam into the target from a small hole. Or a laser can drill a hole through the wall. 

This means that the victims don’t see anything like drones around the target. The drone can send a position mark to the laser. Then the system aims the beam at the drone. When that tracking beam points at the target. That laser raises its power. The system can damage the stealth structure or detonate ammunition. The drone can carry a special astronomical mirror with extremely good reflection. If. The reflection is about 100%. That means it reflects almost all energy to the target. 

That allows. Ground-based lasers. To shoot beams behind the barriers. This makes it possible to use non-direct fire. With. Lasers. Laser systems can cut the electric wires. They can harm communication links. Those laser weapons can also cause big damage to the stealth aircraft. Laser beams can make small scratches. To. An aircraft’s wings. Or they can drill holes into the fuel tanks.

This means. That. Lasers can be game-changers in the next-generation military system. The high-power lasers can cause structural damage to aircraft. They can even make holes in ships. High-energy lasers. They can make cuts. The. Ship's keel. The laser system is a multi-purpose tool. The same laser. That cuts steel in a factory. It can. Be used to damage critical infrastructure. 

https://defense-update.com/20140813_laser-gbad.html

https://www.twz.com/news-features/army-wants-high-energy-laser-weapons-it-can-put-on-any-vehicle-in-the-motorpool

https://interestingengineering.com/ai-robotics/us-tank-hunting-robots

Tesla’s flying roadster is an interesting concept.

Image: Tesla/Interesting engineering. 

A flying car is a term for an aerial vehicle. It can fly. It can also travel on the road like a car. These systems are low-cost machines.  Those vehicles are not new concepts. During history. There have been more. Or less successful concept vehicles that tested things like blowers to lift those vehicles into the air. There are stories. That. Somebody. Even tried to transform the Ford Nucleon.  The nuclear-powered concept vehicle into a “flying car”. The flying cars. That use blowers or something like water jets to fly. They can be low-noise vehicles. In some concepts, the system used large wheels that turned into quadcopter propellers. 

Civil and military operators. Could use those tools. Of course. For Fun. But. There can. Be another use for those tools. In the Tesla concept, the car used “SpaceX-derived cold-gas thrusters: 10 nozzles fed by about 600 liters of compressed air.“ (Explainx.Ai). The system can give 80 kN of thrust. They put rocket technology in the car. And that is one of the most interesting concepts. That. Is one of the most interesting concepts we see in modern automotive technology. 

Long-term flight is not shown. But the roadster is an interesting concept. But anyway. That system is an interesting concept. Maybe it's not allowed on public roads. But laws can be changed. 

The flying car concept can help users avoid traffic jams. This can be interesting. It could help ambulances. And anybody who wants to avoid traffic jams. One problem with the flying car concept is the laws. The system might need a pilot’s licence. And traffic laws don’t know flying cars. But those concepts can have a bright future. What would you think about the flying jeeps that can transport men behind enemy lines without needing parachutes? 

https://www.explainx.ai/blog/tesla-flying-roadster-cold-gas-thrusters-how-it-works-what-was-shown-2026

Press Insider

Those vehicles can start to move. Just. After they land. So. The crew. must not spend time collecting parachutes after the drop. And the parachutes will not reveal that vehicles are on the ground. This is one thing. That can make these kinds of systems tools for next-generation reconnaissance and rescue missions. Without parachutes, the vehicle will not jam to the trees. 

But those systems can also travel over barriers. And. They can also be dropped out of cargo planes without parachutes. They can land safely and then continue their journey. They can also fly, or jump to cargo doors of hovering VTOL vehicles. The “flying car concept can also be useful for unmanned ground vehicles. The airplane can fly those “flying fire ants” to the operational area. Those systems can travel on the ground. And make kamikaze attacks. 

Or use weapons like machine guns or rocket launchers. They can land without parachutes. They can fly over minefields. And drive into houses like cars. Those systems can patrol behind enemy lines. They can make attacks. And deliver reconnaissance information. And of course, “flying car” concepts can operate on planets like Venus and Titan. They could collect samples from the remote areas. And then fly to the cargo bays of heavy helicopters and VTOL planes. Like the V-22 “Osprey”. 

https://www.armyrecognition.com/archives/archives-land-defense/defense-news-army-2025/u-s-army-tests-fireant-anti-tank-ground-robot-to-detect-track-and-neutralize-armored-vehicles

https://www.explainx.ai/blog/tesla-flying-roadster-cold-gas-thrusters-how-it-works-what-was-shown-2026

https://interestingengineering.com/transportation/elon-musk-flying-car-tesla-roadster

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/general/tesla-s-flying-car-dreams-get-a-rival-as-delorean-enters-electric-air-racing/ar-AA2ehTev?ocid=BingNewsSerp

https://pressinsider.com/technology/tesla-straps-rocket-tech-onto-roadster-to-make-it-fly/

https://tech-insider.org/tesla-roadster-flight-tech-80kn-thrust-explained-2026/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Nucleon

The new missile systems can change the game. Into. A direction that nobody expected.

 

"Blackbeard Hypersonic Missile Shown Being Fired From Ground Launcher" (TWZ)

Russia and China both have hypersonic weapons. They are years ahead of the U.S. That is one of the biggest problems for Western defense. If. A ground-launched hypersonic anti-ship missile is launched from 300-500 kilometers away from the target. The defense against those missiles is very difficult. The same goes for drone swarms. They are hard things. 

High-speed drone. That can reach speeds of 700-1500km/h. Can be transported into enemy territory. And then it can be launched near a radar station. Hypersonic missiles can also operate in multiple roles. They can have anti-ship capability. And. It can attack enemy ground installations. Those missiles can also operate against aircraft. They can provide long-distance strike capacity against all targets. Hypersonic missiles can hunt aircraft, buildings, and ships. 

The lack of ground- and sea-launched hypersonic missiles is a big hole in NATO's defense. Sea- and ground-launched systems offer something else.

That aircraft cannot provide. Aircraft are very advanced tools. They need lots of service. When. We think about things like ground-launched hypersonic missiles. There is a possibility.  That somebody drives those missiles on board some ferry. And then make a surprise attack from that ferry. 

Just like the drones. Those systems are platform-free. They can be launched from trucks on the decks. Or they can be on the ground. 

Aircraft still cannot fill artillery duties. Same way. Ship- and ground-launched missiles. They can threaten even the largest. And. Best-protected warships like aircraft carriers. 

And ground-launched versions of cruise missiles can turn warfare. Into. An unknown direction. Any cruise missile can use rocket takeoff. The Russian low-cost drones are a warning. The development cycle is very fast. High-flying balloons and airships can drop those drones to the operational area. The next-generation versions of those drones can use AI-based flight control. That kind of tool can be more devastating than anyone expected. The problem with military systems is that. 

High-altitude balloons or airships can carry drones. 

The microwave weapon. 

The ultra-high-cost F-35-style stealth aircraft play a vital role.  On. Battlefields. Those systems play a big role in attacks on Iran. But the big threat is also low-cost drones. Those drones can be remotely controlled. But quite soon. Those systems. They can also be AI-controlled. The new Su-57D two-seat version of the Su-57 can have better integration with drone swarms. Drones themselves can be shot from different platforms. Or the Su-57D can drop them. The backseater can operate those drones. 

The XQ-57A's U740 variant is launched using RATO. Similar RATO systems can also raise the cruise missile. Or a kamikaze drone. Into the air. 

The new cruise missiles can carry sub-missiles. That means the kamikaze missile can make a double attack. By. Using high-speed anti-radiation missiles. Or they can act as launching platforms. For. Hypersonic missiles. The networked operation system. It can use high-power jamming transmitters to cover the launch of the “Banderol”-type missiles. Those missiles or drones can be transported near their targets. And. They can be launched near the target. That means the defense system has very little time to react.  

Even if a drone is created for civilian purposes. Defending targets. Against. That weapon is not easy. The jammer system can deny communication.  But. That is possible. Only. When the jammer system is connected. The defensive system sees that the drone is coming. If. The drone is not detected. That can cause a horrible situation. 

The new SAAB/Kraken K3 SCOUT unmanned surface scout vehicle. 

The new sea drones can cause problems. The surface drones, equipped with microwave weapons and Hellfire or Spike missiles, can be dangerous for all other vehicles. Those. Small-sized unmanned automated drones. They can paralyze defenses. And they can cause very bad damage. 

That kind of USV can even carry nuclear weapons. The 12-kiloton nuclear explosives in the drones can turn the small drone into a nuclear weapon. Or a nuclear version of the HMS Chambeltown. The HMS Chambeltown made the successful St. Nazaire raid.  There, it collided with the gate of the shipyard’s pool. It detonated depth charges in the St. Nazaire shipyard. 28 March 1942. The big question is. What if Chambeltown used a nuclear weapon? The idea was stolen from “Operation Chariot”. 

And a little bit changed in some dark versions. The idea was that. The speedboat. Or some other thing. Like a yacht. Can sail into the harbour. And then detonate a nuclear weapon inside them. That can cause very large-scale destruction. USVs can also carry drones into strike distance of targets. The drone is the tool. That can also give guerrillas a new type of firepower. Those systems have shown their ability in the hands of Houthi rebels. Those rebels are a threat even to Israel. 

https://www.armyrecognition.com/news/navy-news/2026/kraken-and-saab-uk-pair-k3-scout-uncrewed-vessel-with-giraffe-1x-radar-to-detect-drones-at-sea#google_vignette

https://defencesecurityasia.com/en/russia-su57d-two-seat-stealth-fighter-drone-command-india-china-airpower/

https://interestingengineering.com/military/bae-microwave-weapon-counter-drone-swarms

https://www.twz.com/land/blackbeard-hypersonic-missile-shown-being-fired-from-ground-launcher

https://www.twz.com/air/high-altitude-balloons-are-a-game-changing-capability-army-space-command-boss

https://www.twz.com/land/blackbeard-hypersonic-missile-shown-being-fired-from-ground-launcher

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Nazaire_Raid

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukhoi_Su-57

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmanned_surface_vehicle