….is a scientific instrument for the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) robotic space probe of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) scheduled for launch in 2024. The DLR Institute of Optical Sensor Systems is leading both the scientific team and the development of the instrument, building up on years of experience at the institute for applications of Raman spectroscopy in planetary research in particular and the development of spectrometers for space research in general. RAX is a particularly compact and light weight instrument with an overal weight of less than 1.4 kg and is the primary scientific payload onboard the MMX Rover.
RAX is a compact Raman spectrometer for the identification of the rocks and minerals on the martian moon Phobos.
The Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission is a JAXA project to explore the two moons of Mars, with a planned launch in the mid-2020s.
The RAX instrument is a particularly small and lightweight Raman spectrometer based on a 532 nm CW laser, grating spectrometer and a CMOS sensor.