Japan launches spacecraft to mysterious moons of Mars in a bold mission to bring home soil samples
Summary
Japan has launched a spacecraft on a five-year mission to Phobos, Mars’ larger moon, to study its origins and return soil samples to Earth in 2031. The multinational project will also deploy a French-German rover and could help scientists understand how Mars’ moons formed.
Key Points
- Japan’s space agency launched the MMX spacecraft toward Mars on Tuesday in a mission to explore Phobos and bring back samples.
- The mission will deploy the French-German rover Idefix on Phobos before a lander drills and collects at least 10 grams of material in late 2028 or 2029.
- Scientists hope the samples will reveal how Phobos and Deimos formed and what they can tell us about Mars and planetary origins.
- The mission involves NASA, the French Space Agency, the German Space Agency and the European Space Agency, with sample return expected in 2031.
