JAXA has launched the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission from the Tanegashima Space Center using an H3 rocket. The 4.5-metric ton spacecraft separated from the launch vehicle 71 minutes after liftoff and is currently in stable condition, beginning a 10-month journey to Mars.
Upon arrival in August, the probe will spend three years studying Phobos and Deimos. In late 2028 or early 2029, it will deploy the Idefix rover, a joint contribution from France and Germany, to explore the surface of Phobos for up to 100 days.
The mission aims to collect at least 10 grams of material from Phobos using a coring drill and a NASA-provided pneumatic sampler. The spacecraft will depart Mars in 2030, with a sample return capsule scheduled to land in South Australia in 2031.
Scientists intend to analyze the samples to determine if Phobos is a captured asteroid or debris from a giant impact on Mars. NASA will receive 15 percent of the collected specimens in exchange for its technical contributions to the mission.
