Aerospace & Defense Industries
MMX probe aims to bring back world's first samples from Martian orbital system
An image of Japan's Martian Moons eXploration, or MMX, probe collecting soil samples on Phobos, one of two Martian moons. MMX aims to return collected material to Earth in 2031. © JAXA
MITSURU OBE
October 20, 2026 16:21 JST
TOKYO -- Japan's mission to collect samples from Mars moon Phobos got underway on Tuesday after its H3 rocket, operated by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Kagoshima prefecture. On board the rocket was the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) probe, developed by Mitsubishi Electric.