Japan launches historic mission to Mars moon

Summary

• TOKYO: Japan is preparing to launch an ambitious space mission to collect samples from Phobos, one of Mars’s two moons, in an effort to uncover clues about the formation of the Solar System and the origins of life.
• The mission aims to become the first to complete a round trip to the Martian region and bring material collected from one of its moons back to Earth.
• The mission is also part of a broader international effort to bring material from the Martian region back to Earth.

AI Generated Summary

TOKYO: Japan is preparing to launch an ambitious space mission to collect samples from Phobos, one of Mars’s two moons, in an effort to uncover clues about the formation of the Solar System and the origins of life.

The unmanned Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft is scheduled to launch aboard Japan’s H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Centre. The mission aims to become the first to complete a round trip to the Martian region and bring material collected from one of its moons back to Earth.

According to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the spacecraft is expected to reach Mars about a year after launch. It will then study Phobos for up to three years before landing on its surface and collecting at least 10 grammes of material.