TOKYO, Japan / AsiaWire.IO / – A spacecraft headed for Mars has been launched by Japan to explore the enigmatic moons of the Red Planet and bring back samples. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency launched the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) probe using an H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center. The launch occurred early Tuesday morning, October 20, at 04:41 local time. This five-year mission involves collaboration among five space agencies.
The goal of MMX is to send a robotic lander and rover to Phobos, the larger and nearer moon of Mars. Should the mission succeed, it will mark the first time a spacecraft orbits Phobos, collects surface samples, and returns them to Earth. The mission is led by JAXA, with partners including NASA, France’s CNES, Germany’s DLR, and the European Space Agency. The separation of the spacecraft from the rocket was confirmed following launch.
Scientists aim to clarify how Phobos and Deimos came to orbit Mars. The giant impact hypothesis suggests they formed after a significant collision with Mars, whereas the capture hypothesis proposes they originated as asteroids from the outer Solar System that were pulled in by Mars’ gravity. Data from orbit and the analysis of samples returned are expected to shed light on which theory is more accurate.
Global partners contribute rover and scientific tools
The French and German space agencies developed IDEFIX, a rover weighing less than 30 kg, which will land on Phobos prior to the main spacecraft. Its primary functions include testing surface responses under mechanical interaction and demonstrating mobility on wheels. NASA provided MEGANE, a neutron and gamma-ray spectrometer. The spacecraft carries seven science instruments, among which is an infrared spectrometer created in collaboration with CNES.
Europe also plays a vital role in communication support. ESA supplied a transponder and power amplifier for deep-space communication, utilizing its Estrack ground station network to send commands and gather data. ESA Director of Science Carole Mundell congratulated JAXA and the MMX team on the successful launch. Elliot Sefton-Nash, the project scientist for MMX at ESA, praised the H3 launcher’s performance in propelling the spacecraft on its journey.
Sample collection scheduled for 2031 in Australia
Approximately one year after launch, the spacecraft is expected to arrive near Mars, where it will observe Phobos from a quasi-satellite orbit and evaluate potential landing sites before descending. MMX will gather at least 10 grams of material using two different tools. One is a coring sampler mounted on a robotic arm designed to extract regolith from depths exceeding 2 cm, while the other uses pressurized gas to push soil into a container.
During a flyby, MMX will also attempt to observe Deimos, the smaller Martian moon. Following this, it will leave the Mars system for a return journey estimated at about one year. The capsule containing the samples is scheduled to land back on Earth in 2031, with recovery operations planned in Australia. The mission was first announced by JAXA in 2015; development began in 2020 with an initial launch target set for 2024, which was later postponed to 2026.