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The Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission, led by Japan's space agency JAXA, launched successfully on 20 October to study Phobos, one of Mars' two small moons. The mission aims to orbit the low-gravity moon, land on its loosely packed surface, and collect samples to return to Earth, addressing long-standing questions about the moon's origins.
Japan's space agency JAXA launched the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft on an H3 rocket, beginning a roughly 10-month journey to Mars. The probe is set to enter orbit around Phobos in August 2027, deploy the French-German IDEFIX rover to the moon's surface, and later attempt two landings to collect samples before returning them to Earth.
Japan's space agency JAXA launched the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft Monday aboard an H3 rocket from Tanegashima Space Center, kicking off a five-year mission to land on Phobos, the largest Martian moon, and bring samples back to Earth. The $578 million spacecraft separated successfully about 71 minutes after liftoff, deployed its solar panels, and reported stable contact with ground controllers, JAXA officials said.
Japan's space agency JAXA is launching the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft from Tanegashima Space Center, aiming to reach Mars and its moons Phobos and Deimos after about a year of travel. The mission will study both moons remotely and collect physical samples from Phobos to return to Earth, following three earlier Russian attempts that all failed.
Japan's space agency JAXA, with NASA support, launched the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission from Tanegashima Space Center to study Mars' moons Deimos and Phobos. The spacecraft aims to collect a sample from Phobos' surface and return it to Earth, a first if successful. NASA officials, including Nicky Fox and Tom Statler, say the samples could offer new insight into the moons' origins and the early solar system.
The ESA-JAXA BepiColombo probe separated from its propulsion module on September 3, completing the final phase before entering low orbit around Mercury. The mission, delayed nearly a year after a thruster malfunction forced a slower trajectory, has traveled roughly 9.9 billion kilometers using nine gravity-assist maneuvers around Earth, Venus and Mercury.
Astroscale executive Ron Lopez discussed the company's upcoming ISSA-J1 mission for JAXA, which will require rendezvousing with two decommissioned Japanese satellites rather than a rocket body. Unlike the ADRAS-J2 mission targeting a stable rocket stage, ISSA-J1 must approach satellites with protruding solar arrays that are likely tumbling, demanding more advanced rendezvous and proximity operations technology.
Japan's space agency JAXA plans to launch its Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft on October 20, 2026, aiming to collect at least 10 grams of material from Phobos, one of Mars' two moons. The mission, built by Mitsubishi Electric, would take about a year to reach Mars, spend three years studying the planet and its moons, then return samples to Earth by 2031.
Japan's space agency has launched the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission, aiming to collect at least 10 grams of material from Phobos, one of Mars' two moons. The spacecraft will spend a year traveling to Mars, three years gathering samples in orbit, and another year returning to Earth, with samples expected to arrive in 2031.