🇯🇵 Japan Launches Mars Moon Mission

Japan will launch the MMX probe aboard an H3 rocket from Tanegashima Space Center on Oct 20, targeting Mars’ moon Phobos in what JAXA says would be the first round trip to the Martian system. The spacecraft will collect at least 10g of material from Phobos after arriving near Mars in about one year, then return the sample to Earth.

The mission is being conducted with NASA, ESA, CNES, DLR, universities and technology companies, and will also observe Deimos. JAXA aims to determine whether Phobos and Deimos formed through a giant impact or were captured, while also using Phobos as a test case for round-trip requirements that it says are essential for future crewed Mars exploration.

MMX is expected to orbit Phobos for up to three years, with the IDEFIX rover conducting surface observations before landing to support a safe sample retrieval. The mission also comes as Japan seeks to operate in Mars gravity conditions while China prepares a rival sample mission.

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