Japan Launches MMX Probe, Eyes Phobos Samples by 2031
The Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) probe detached cleanly from an H3 rocket and settled into its intended orbit, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced, according to a Japanese news agency.
The rocket blasted off from the Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan at 4.41 am local time (1941GMT Monday).
JAXA project manager Makoto Arita said the spacecraft had reached its planned orbit with “exceptional precision.”
The 4,480-kilogram probe is bound for Phobos, the larger of Mars’ two moons, and is due to enter Martian orbit in August 2027.
A French-German rover will touch down on Phobos first. The Japanese spacecraft will then make two planned landings to gather samples.
Afterward, the probe will study Deimos, the second Martian moon, before leaving Martian orbit in November 2030. Its samples are expected to reach Earth in July 2031.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi welcomed the launch and voiced hope that the historic mission would succeed.
The liftoff was first slated for 2024 but was pushed back after the H3 rocket’s maiden flight failed in 2023.
The international MMX mission aims to establish how Mars’ moons formed and to advance technologies for future planetary exploration.
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