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TOKYO: Japan has successfully launched a spacecraft on a mission to collect rock and sand samples from one of Mars’ moons, marking a major step in planetary exploration.
The Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) probe separated from its H3 rocket and entered its planned orbit, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced, according to Kyodo News Agency.
The rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan at 4:41am local time on Tuesday.
JAXA project manager Makoto Arita said the spacecraft had reached its planned orbit with “exceptional precision.”
The 4,480-kilogram spacecraft will travel to Phobos, the larger of Mars’ two moons. It is scheduled to enter Martian orbit in August 2027.
A French-German rover will first land on Phobos. The Japanese spacecraft will then attempt two landings to collect samples from the moon’s surface.
After completing its work on Phobos, the probe will observe Deimos, Mars’ smaller moon. It is scheduled to leave Martian orbit in November 2030.
The mission team expects the spacecraft to return its collected samples to Earth in July 2031.
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Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi welcomed the launch and expressed hope for the mission’s success.
The launch was initially scheduled for 2024. However, officials postponed it following the failure of the H3 rocket’s maiden flight in 2023.
The international MMX mission aims to determine how Mars’ two moons formed. It will also help scientists develop technologies for future planetary exploration.
By studying samples directly collected from Phobos, researchers hope to gain new insights into the history and evolution of the Martian system.
