Japan to launch world-first mission to collect samples from Martian moon
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency successfully launched an H3 rocket carrying a spacecraft to explore the mysterious moons of Mars and bring home soil samples. This marks the world-first attempt at a sample return from a Martian moon. The spacecraft aims to collect rocks and sand from Phobos, Mars's largest moon, before returning materials to Earth in July 2031. An international space mission component expects the retrieved sample to land in Australia upon return.
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- ✓ The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency successfully launched an H3 rocket on Tuesday.
- ✓ The mission aims to collect rock, sand, and soil samples from Phobos, the largest moon of Mars.
- ✓ The mission is expected to return to Earth in July 2031.
- ✓ The retrieved sample is expected to land in Australia.
What changed
Japan successfully launched the spacecraft on an H3 rocket on Tuesday.
Live updates
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Japan Launches World-First Mission to Collect Martian Moon Samples
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency successfully launched an H3 rocket carrying a spacecraft to explore the mysterious moons of Mars and bring home soil samples. This marks the world-first attempt at a sample return from a Martian moon. The spacecraft aims to collect rocks and sand from Phobos, Mars's largest moon, before returning materials to Earth in July 2031. An international space mission component expects the retrieved sample to land in Australia upon return.
Why it matters
The Japanese space agency leads this five-year mission targeting Phobos, described as one of the most important unclimbed mountains in the solar system. NASA is assisting the mission to unlock mysteries surrounding the moons of Mars. Phobos is one of the two small, potato-shaped moons orbiting the red planet.
What is confirmed
- The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency successfully launched an H3 rocket on Tuesday.
- The mission aims to collect rock, sand, and soil samples from Phobos, the largest moon of Mars.
- The mission is expected to return to Earth in July 2031.
- The retrieved sample is expected to land in Australia.
What to watch next
- Arrival of the spacecraft at Mars and subsequent approach to Phobos
- Progress of the five-year mission timeline toward the 2031 return date
- Updates regarding NASA participation and support roles
confidence 100%Sources used for this update (14)
- NHKニュース — Japan to launch Martian moon mission on Tuesday | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News
- NASA Science (.gov) — NASA to Help Unlock Mysteries of Mars’ Moons in Upcoming Mission
- AP News — Japan to launch spacecraft on a mission to get samples from a Martian moon
- New Scientist — Japan is launching a mission to Mars’s largest moon Phobos
- The Guardian — Japan to launch world-first mission to collect samples from Martian moon
- Phys.org — Japan launches spacecraft to mysterious moons of Mars in a bold mission to bring home soil samples
- www.nippon.com — Japan Successfully Launches Martian Moon Probe on Landmark Mission
- thediplomaticinsight.com — Japan Launches Historic Mission to Collect Samples From Mars’ Moon Phobos
- www.theguardian.com — Japan to launch world-first mission to collect samples from ...
- www.abc.net.au — Japan launches first mission to collect samples from Martian moon
- interestingengineering.com — Japan launches Mars mission for world's first Martian moon ...
- tribune.com.pk — Japan launches world's first mission to collect samples from Martian moon - The Express Tribune
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