Japan Launches Historic Round-Trip Mission to Mars Moon Phobos
Japan's MMX probe is launching on Tuesday to retrieve samples from Phobos, aiming to be the first round-trip mission to the Martian system.
Japan’s unmanned Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) probe is set to launch on Tuesday aboard the H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center. The mission aims to be the first round trip to the Martian region, as the spacecraft will orbit Phobos, land to collect at least 10g of material, and eventually return samples to Earth.
JAXA scientists state that sand and rocks from Phobos may offer a wider variety of samples than those found on Mars itself, especially if the moon formed from a collision between a celestial body and the planet. The mission is also designed to help determine whether Martian moons formed via a 'giant impact' or were asteroids captured by gravity.
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- Channel News AsiaPrimary sourceJapan to launch historic round-trip mission to Mars moon
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The MMX probe will launch on Tuesday and aims to be the first round-trip mission to the Martian system, collecting at least 10g of material from Phobos.
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JAXA scientists assert that samples from Phobos may offer a wider variety than samples from the Martian surface, potentially aiding in understanding the origins of the Solar System.
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