Japan's MMX mission will successfully retrieve samples from Phobos, one of Mars' moons, by the late 2020s.

Japan successfully launched a rocket carrying a probe bound for Mars' moons Tuesday, kicking off a five-year mission to retrieve samples that could shed light on the origins of the solar system and life on Earth. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/10/20/japan/science-health/japan-mars-moon-probe-launch/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #sciencehealth #mars #space #jaxa #astronomy

Japan launches mission to bring home a piece of the Martian moon Phobos The climax for MMX will come in 2029, when the spacecraft will attempt up to two landings on Phobos. https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/10/japan-launches-mission-to-bring-home-a-piece-of-the-martian-moon-phobos/?utm_brand=arstechnica&utm_social-type=owned&utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social

🔴 BREAKING: Japan has launched a historic five‑year uncrewed mission to retrieve samples from Phobos, one of Mars’ moons. The spacecraft, named MMX, will depart Earth in 2024, orbit Mars, land on Phobos, collect material and return it to Earth by the late 2020s, marking the first attempt to bring back extraterrestrial moon debris. 🕐 05:00 UTC Read more: https://rawfeednews.com/post/mvg7ssmx.html #Japan #Launches #Historic