Japan launches spacecraft to collect samples from Mars moon Phobos

Japan launched a spacecraft to Mars's moon Phobos on Tuesday, October 17, 2026. The rocket lifted off from Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan. The mission, called MMX, will try to collect soil from Phobos and bring it back to Earth. This has never been done before.

A small French-German rover named Idefix will land on Phobos first, around 2029, and spend about 100 days exploring the surface. The MMX spacecraft will land later and collect at least 10 grams of soil. Scientists hope the samples will help explain how Phobos formed. The mission carries instruments from Japan, the United States, and Europe. The total cost was around $350 million. Samples are expected to return to Earth in 2031.