Understanding the origin of the Martian moons is the main objective of the JAXA MMX (Martian Moons eXploration) mission, that will be launched in October 2026. Among the 13 instruments composing the payload, MIRS is an infrared imaging spectrometer that will map the mineralogy and search for organic compounds on the moons’ surfaces. MIRS will also study the Martian atmosphere, focusing on the spatial and temporal variations of water, dust and clouds. MIRS is operating in the 0.9-3.6 μm spectral range with a spectral resolution varying from 22 nm to 32 nm. The field of view covers 3.3° whereas the instantaneous field of view is 0.35 mrad. This presentation will detail the design and present the end-to-end performance obtained during the final instrument test in a representative thermal environment.
Martian Moons eXplorer (MMX) is a sample-return mission of Phobos, the larger moon of Mars. To achieve the mission, a high-resolution 3D model of Phobos is essential, which requires a large number of high-resolution images to be sent back to Earth with enough quality before carrying out the landing activity. To realize this, the data transfer bandwidth is the bottleneck, and we adopt CCSDS 122.0-B-1 image compression, a variation of data compression based on the DWT method. This method allows us to select only one output quality for one image compression. On the other hand, the data transfer strategy shall be to transfer minimum-quality images first for quick looks and full-quality ones later. To realize this with the least computing power, we modified the method to output a low-quality full image and two supplemental data sets to better quality. This work is based on the CCSDS 122.0-B-1 implementation by a group of the University of Nebraska Lincoln.
The MMX Infrared Spectrometer (MIRS) is an imaging spectrometer aboard the MMX (Martian Moons eXploration) JAXA mission. MIRS was constructed at LESIA in collaboration with five other French laboratories, with the collaboration and financial support of CNES, and in close partnership with JAXA. MIRS will remotely provide near-infrared spectral maps of Phobos and Deimos, containing spectral features used to analyze surface composition. MIRS will also study the Martian atmosphere, focusing on spatial and temporal changes in clouds, dust, and water vapor. A span of three and a half years separates the initial optical design studies for this instrument and the ongoing final tests conducted under vacuum on MIRS PFM (Proto-Flight Model) at LESIA facilities. Many design and development choices were influenced by this limited lead time. This paper will describe the key stages in the optical architecture's evolution during the instrument's development, guided by a design-to-effectiveness philosophy. Following an overview of the mission, its objectives, and the optical requirements of the instrument, we will expose the trade-off between a dioptric and a catoptric design, resulting in a catadioptric design including four freeform mirrors, a plane-ruled grating, two lens assemblies, and a linear variable filter. Each optical subassembly will be detailed, presenting its primary as-built characteristics. The alignment tolerances and procedures will also be briefly explained. Lastly, the measured optical performances of MIRS PFM will be presented and compared to the theoretical expectations.
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