Japan’s Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) mission has launched on an H3 rocket, beginning a multi-year journey to retrieve soil samples from the moon Phobos.
Key facts
- •The MMX spacecraft launched from the Tanegashima Space Center on an H3 rocket developed by JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
- •The mission is a five-year international project involving JAXA, NASA, ESA, and CNES.
- •The rover Idefix will conduct a 100-day survey of Phobos to assist in selecting landing and sampling sites.
- •The mission aims to return at least 10 grams of subsurface material to Earth by 2031.
- •Phobos is a small moon measuring approximately 14 miles (22.5 km) in diameter.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) successfully launched the Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) mission on October 19, 2026. The spacecraft lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center atop an H3 rocket, marking the start of an international collaboration involving NASA, the European Space Agency, and the French space agency CNES. The mission aims to become the first to land on and return samples from Phobos, one of Mars's two moons, to Earth for scientific analysis.
By the numbers
Mission Objectives and Scientific Goals
The primary goal of the MMX mission is to determine the origins of Phobos and Deimos, Mars's two moons. Scientists are currently debating whether the moons are captured asteroids or debris resulting from a massive ancient collision with Mars. By returning at least 10 grams of material to Earth, researchers hope to gain insights into the formation of the early solar system and the development of organic matter on planets.
Operational Timeline and Landing Strategy
The spacecraft is expected to reach the Martian system in 2027. Once in orbit, it will survey Phobos to identify suitable landing sites. The mission includes the deployment of a French-German rover named Idefix, which will spend 100 days surveying the surface. The main spacecraft is scheduled to land on Phobos in 2030 to collect samples, with a planned return to Earth in 2031. Because the gravity on Phobos is extremely weak—approximately 1/1,000th that of Earth—the rover is designed to bounce across the surface.
Timeline
- October 19, 2026The MMX spacecraft launched from the Tanegashima Space Center.
- 2027The spacecraft is scheduled to arrive at the Martian system.
- 2030The main spacecraft is scheduled to land on Phobos to collect samples.
- 2031The return module is expected to arrive back on Earth.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Scientific American, Guardian Science, Space.com.
