The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency launched the Martian Moons Exploration spacecraft from Tanegashima Space Center on Tuesday, initiating a five-year mission to explore Mars's moons. According to The Hindu BusinessLine, the H3 rocket carried the MMX rover toward Phobos, the larger of Mars's two small moons. Asharq Al-Awsat reported that officials confirmed mission success one hour after launch when the spacecraft separated from the rocket's upper stage, prompting celebrations among flight controllers.
The $578 million mission is a collaboration between five space agencies, including NASA, the French Space Agency, the German Space Agency, and the European Space Agency. Japan is investing $350 million, while NASA contributes $87 million. The 5-ton spacecraft is expected to reach Mars by late 2027. It will deploy Idefix, a French-German rover named after a character in Asterix comics, which will operate on Phobos for 100 days. The rover, no larger than a microwave oven, will move at one millimeter per second to scout safe terrain for the main lander.
The primary lander will spend two hours on Phobos, collecting at least 10 grams of material. It will then study Deimos during flybys before returning to Earth in 2031 for a landing in the Australian desert. Scientists hope the samples will reveal whether the moons formed from an ancient collision or are captured asteroids. NASA’s acting planetary science director Lindsay Hays noted that the findings will help shape future crewed Mars missions.
The mission faces significant challenges, as no spacecraft has previously landed on Phobos or Deimos. Russia has attempted three Phobos missions, while Japan previously failed to orbit Mars. China also plans a Mars sample return mission for 2028, targeting the same 2031 delivery window as Japan. As Asharq Al-Awsat noted, "Both are targeting 2031," highlighting the competitive race to retrieve Martian system samples.