Japan launches MMX mission to Mars' moon Phobos to return soil samples to Earth

Summary

Japan launched the uncrewed Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) spacecraft on its flagship H3 rocket from Tanegashima island before dawn on Tuesday, according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The probe is set to land on Phobos, one of Mars' two moons, and collect at least 10 grams of material to bring back to Earth in 2031. The five-year mission costs $578 million, with its main climax in 2029, when the spacecraft will attempt up to two landings on Phobos. Scientists hope the samples will shed light on how Phobos, Deimos and Mars formed, and on the origins of the solar system and of life on Earth. NASA has landed nine spacecraft on Mars over the past 50 years and China touched down in 2021, but no one has yet returned samples from Mars or its moons.

Timeline

1. CBS News

   19 Oct 2026, 21:42 UTCSource ↗

   CBS News reports that Japan has launched the MMX robotic mission to the Martian moon Phobos to return soil samples to Earth, which it says could shed light on the mysterious origin of Mars' two moons.

2. The Guardian

   19 Oct 2026, 23:37 UTCSource ↗

   The Guardian reports that Japan successfully launched the MMX spacecraft on its H3 rocket from Tanegashima island before dawn, and that scientists hope the Martian material it collects will shed light on the origins of the solar system and life on Earth.

3. Le Monde

   19 Oct 2026, 23:59 UTCSource ↗

   Le Monde reports that Japan launched a spacecraft on a historic mission to Mars' moon Phobos, where the probe is set to land and collect at least 10 grams of material that scientists hope will reveal how Mars and its two moons formed.

4. France 24

   20 Oct 2026, 01:29 UTCSource ↗

   France 24 reports that Japan launched a spacecraft on Tuesday on a five-year, $578 million mission to explore Mars' moons Phobos and Deimos and bring back samples for the first time, with delivery to Earth planned for 2031.

5. RTÉ

   20 Oct 2026, 02:27 UTCSource ↗

   RTÉ reports that a Japanese spacecraft is on its way to one of Mars's moons on a world-first mission to retrieve samples, which could help unlock the origins of the Solar System and life on Earth.

6. Al Jazeera

   20 Oct 2026, 04:08 UTCSource ↗

   Al Jazeera reports that Japan has launched a five-year uncrewed mission to collect samples from Phobos, one of Mars' two moons.

7. Euronews

   20 Oct 2026, 04:19 UTCSource ↗

   Euronews reports that Japan has launched an unprecedented mission to bring back samples from Phobos, noting that NASA has landed nine spacecraft on Mars over the past 50 years and that no one has returned samples from Mars or its moons.

8. Ars Technica

   20 Oct 2026, 05:59 UTCSource ↗

   Ars Technica reports that Japan has launched a mission to bring a piece of the Martian moon Phobos back home, with the climax coming in 2029 when the spacecraft attempts up to two landings on Phobos.

9. Hindustan Times

   20 Oct 2026, 07:01 UTCSource ↗

   Hindustan Times reports that JAXA expects the spacecraft to reach Mars in August 2027 and bring samples back in 2031, aiming to collect at least 10 grams of material.

10. Deutsche Welle

    20 Oct 2026, 07:16 UTCSource ↗

    Deutsche Welle reports that the MMX spacecraft is on its way to Mars' moon Phobos to collect surface samples that could help answer long-standing questions about the formation of the Solar System.