Japan launches uncrewed space mission to become first to gather samples from Mars' moon Phobos

Jerusalem Post/Science/Space The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Martian Moons eXploration spacecraft lifted off aboard an H3 rocket before dawn from the Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan.Follow us on GoogleThe H3 rocket carrying the Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) rover bound for Mars' moon Phobos lifts off from the Tanegashima Space Center in Minamitane, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, October 20, 2026 in this photo taken by Kyodo.(photo credit: KYODO/VIA REUTERS)OCTOBER 20, 2026 06:36Japan launched an uncrewed spacecraft toward the Martian moon Phobos on Tuesday on a mission intended to become the first to collect samples from the small rocky body and return them to Earth for analysis.The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Martian Moons eXploration spacecraft lifted off aboard an H3 rocket before dawn from the Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan.The spacecraft is expected to reach Mars in August 2027 and return samples to Earth in 2031. JAXA hopes the mission will shed light on the origin of the two moons of Mars and deepen the understanding of our solar system's early stages.This handout image from ESA/NASA, obtained August 21, 2008 taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera on board the ESA?s Mars Express shows the highest-resolution full-disc image yet of the surface of the moon Phobos. (credit: NASA/ESA via Getty Images)Japanese space mission aims to collect at least 10 grams from PhobosPhobos, the larger of the two Martian moons, orbits the planet three times a day. Phobos has an irregular shape with dimensions of about 27 km by 22 km by 18 km, and orbits roughly 6,000 km above the Martian surface.JAXA aims to collect at least 10 grams of material from its surface and return it to Earth for analysis.The launch marked the first interplanetary mission for Japan's H3 rocket. The country's flagship launcher experienced a high-profile failure on its inaugural flight in 2023 when its second-stage engine failed to ignite, but has since completed a series of mostly successful launches.Follow us on Google