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Japan to launch Martian moon mission on Tuesday
NHKニュース • • general
Key Points:
- Japan's Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission is set to launch from Kagoshima's Tanegashima Space Center, aiming to be the first mission to land on Mars' moon Phobos and return samples to Earth.
- The mission, developed by JAXA at a cost of approximately $350 million, features a three-module spacecraft with an exploration module equipped with landing legs, sampling tools, observation instruments, and advanced cameras.
- MMX is expected to reach Mars about one year after launch, spend three years conducting observations, and collect at least 10 grams of material from Phobos' surface layer.
- The collected samples are planned to be returned to Earth by March 2032, with JAXA aiming to advance Martian exploration techniques and gain insights into Phobos' origin.
