Japan launches historic round-trip mission to collect samples from Mars moon Phobos

Launch details and timeline

The H3 rocket carrying the Martian Moons eXploration probe is scheduled to blast off at 4:41 am local time. The spacecraft will arrive near Mars one year later to orbit Phobos for up to three years. It will then land on the moon to collect at least 10 grams of surface material before returning to Earth.

International collaboration and goals

The mission is a collaboration between Japan, the United States, France, Germany, and the European Space Agency. Scientists hope the samples will provide clues about how Phobos and Deimos formed and shed light on the origins of life. The project also aims to establish requirements for using a Martian moon as a base for future crewed missions.

Observation of Deimos

While the probe will not land on the smaller moon, it will observe Deimos during its journey. This observation is part of the wider objective to examine the evolution of Mars and its local environment in space.