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Japan to launch world-first mission to collect samples from Martian moon

Japan is launching the MMX mission to collect samples from Phobos, a Martian moon, with the goal of understanding its formation and the origins of life in the solar system.

First tracked October 20, 2026 at 10:32 PM CDT · Latest material update October 20, 2026 at 10:33 PM CDT

Japan Launches World's First Mission to Sample Martian Moon Phobos

Japan is launching a world-first mission to collect physical samples from Phobos, one of Mars's small moons. This five-year mission aims to gather soil and rock samples to unlock secrets about how the moons formed and potentially shed light on the origins of life in the solar system.