Tokyo: A Japanese spacecraft successfully set off on a journey to one of Mars' moons late Monday in a race to become the first mission to return samples to Earth and potentially unlock the mysterious origins of the Solar System.
The uncrewed Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission is expected to reach Mars in August 2027. It will attempt to collect samples from Phobos, the larger of the planet's two moons, and deploy the German-French rover IDEFIX to explore the surface.
The flagship H3 rocket carrying the MMX probe lifted off into a pitch-black sky from the Tanegashima Space Centre at 4:41 a.m. local time (1941 GMT Monday), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said.
Flight controllers burst into applause and jumped to their feet as the spacecraft blasted into space, shaking hands and embracing. Thousands of people tuned in to watch the livestream despite the early hour.
An hour later, JAXA announced that the probe had successfully separated from the H3 rocket and was "beginning its journey towards the Martian system."
"I'd dreamt of this day, so I'm incredibly happy," said JAXA scientist Mari Aida. "Right now I feel really relieved."
The agency also received signals from the spacecraft as expected, confirming it was operating normally.
Making way for science
Scientists hope the probe's discoveries will help lay the groundwork for eventual human exploration.
"The samples from MMX will bring forth paradigm-shifting science on the Mars system for generations to come, especially as NASA prepares to send the first humans to Mars," Nicky Fox, administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate, said in a message broadcast on the JAXA live stream.
JAXA also hopes the mission will reveal how Mars and its two moons formed, unlocking a key piece of knowledge about the formation of the Solar System.
One theory holds that Mars' two moons formed after a giant celestial body collided with the planet. Another hypothesis suggests the moons are asteroids captured by Mars' gravity. Confirming either theory would help scientists determine "how a habitable environment for life might have arisen on the terrestrial planets," JAXA said, referring to the four rocky planets closest to the sun.
Probe to reach destination in August 2027
The probe is due to arrive near Mars around August 2027, where it will orbit one of the planet's two natural moons, Phobos.
A French-German rover named IDEFIX, after the dog from the Asterix comic series, will be the first vehicle to travel across Phobos to conduct surface observations and help ensure a safe landing for the Japanese probe. It is no bigger than a microwave oven.
Once MMX arrives on Phobos, it will spend about two hours collecting at least 10 grams of material from the moon's surface before launching back into space. It will also study Mars' other natural moon, Deimos, during a series of flybys before leaving the Martian region in 2030.
Another objective of the mission is to explore the possibility of using Phobos as a "natural space station" by establishing the requirements for a round trip.
Phobos is a lumpy, potato-shaped rock measuring about 22 kilometres (14 miles) across.
The mission, which aims to complete the first round trip to the Martian region, is a collaboration involving US and European space agencies along with several private technology companies.
US and Chinese space agencies have also been competing to become the first to return rock samples from the surface of Mars to Earth. NASA's Perseverance rover, which has been exploring the planet since 2021, has already collected samples. The return mission, however, was canceled by US President Donald Trump's administration after a congressional vote in January.