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Japan Launches Mission to Retrieve Samples from Mars' Moon

Space1 min read

Japan has launched the MMX spacecraft, which will fly to Mars, collect samples from its moon Phobos, and bring them back to Earth around 2031. It would be the first mission to land on Phobos and return material from it.

The launch

Japan's MMX spacecraft lifted off on an H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima, Japan. It left early on October 20 (2:41 a.m. in Hanoi). MMX is now flying on its own toward Mars, a trip of about 10 months.

Key facts

  • The H3 rocket is 63 meters tall and is on its 10th launch.
  • MMX reached a top speed of about 38,858 km/h to escape Earth's orbit.
  • MMX was released from the rocket about 71 minutes after liftoff.
  • The spacecraft is expected to reach Mars in August 2027.
  • Phobos is about 22 km wide. Deimos is about 14 km wide.

Why these moons matter

Phobos and Deimos are small, lumpy moons shaped a bit like potatoes, not balls. Scientists think they may be asteroids from the early Solar System that were pulled in by Mars's gravity. Another idea is that they formed after a huge crash, like the one that may have created Earth's Moon. Getting samples could settle this long-running question.

Why it matters

If the mission works, MMX will be the first spacecraft to land on Phobos and bring material back to Earth. Its samples could show how Mars changed over time and how the early Solar System formed.

What to watch

  • In late 2028 or early 2029, MMX plans to release a small rover from France and Germany, called Idefix, onto Phobos.
  • Phobos has very weak gravity, so the rover will hop for several minutes before it stops.
  • A lander will drill and collect material in about two hours, then lift off again.
  • MMX will leave Mars in November 2030 and is expected to drop its sample capsule over Australia in 2031.

Glossary

MMX
Japan's Martian Moons eXploration spacecraft, built to collect samples from Mars's moon Phobos.
H3
Japan's two-stage rocket, developed by JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
Phobos
One of the two small moons of Mars, shaped like a potato.
Idefix
A small four-wheeled rover from the French and German space agencies that will explore Phobos's surface.

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