✉news ScienceSpace Policy first seen 2 d ago, last 2 d ago, peak #11
JAXA's MMX Mission Heads to Phobos for Sample Return
Original: JAXA Launches MMX to Phobos: 10g Sample, 2031 Return [2026]
Japan's space agency JAXA has launched its Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission to Phobos, Mars's larger moon. The spacecraft aims to collect around 10 grams of surface material and return it to Earth by 2031, which would make it the first sample ever brought back from the Martian system. The mission is drawing attention as a major milestone for planetary science and Japan's space programme.
Why now: The launch of an ambitious first-of-its-kind sample return mission from a Martian moon is a significant space exploration milestone.
Evidence
- JAXA Launches MMX to Phobos: 10g Sample, 2031 Return [2026] · https://tech-insider.org/
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