Japan Launches Spacecraft to Mars Moon Phobos for Sample Return
Summary
Japan has launched the MMX spacecraft to Mars’ moon Phobos on a sample-return mission that could bring the first material from Mars or its moons back to Earth. Scientists hope the tiny dust samples will reveal how Phobos and Deimos formed and may even contain clues about Mars itself.
Key Points
- Japan’s Mars Moons Exploration (MMX) mission has launched to Phobos to collect and return about 10 grams of dust to Earth.
- If successful, it will be the first mission to bring samples from Mars or one of its moons back for laboratory study.
- Researchers hope the samples will help determine whether Phobos formed from a giant impact with Mars or was a captured asteroid.
- The spacecraft is expected to reach Phobos in 2027 and return the samples to Earth in 2031, landing in South Australia.
