MMX Rover Idefix to Scout Phobos Before First Soil Return

A small rover named Idefix – a nod to the French name of the cartoon dog that follows Asterix – will descend first to photograph the landing zone and verify safety. Idefix will conduct high‑resolution imaging of Phobos’s surface, helping the lander choose a secure spot for sample acquisition. The soil‑return operation will be the inaugural attempt to bring material from any planetary moon back to Earth.