Japan successfully launches probe in historic Mars moon mission
Summary
Japan has launched the MMX probe on a historic mission to retrieve samples from Phobos, one of Mars’s moons, in a project that could shed light on the origins of the Solar System and life on Earth. The spacecraft is expected to reach Mars next year and spend about three years studying the Martian system before returning material to Earth.
Key Points
- Japan successfully launched the unmanned Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) probe aboard an H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center.
- The mission aims to collect at least 10 grams of material from Phobos, making it the first round trip to the Martian region.
- JAXA says the samples could help explain how Mars and its moons formed and what that means for the origin of habitable environments.
- The mission involves collaboration with US and European space agencies, including a French-German rover named IDEFIX.
