Japan to launch mission to bring samples from Martian moon
Oct 19, 2026
Tokyo [Japan], October 19: Japan is set to launch a space mission on Tuesday to bring samples from a Martian moon to Earth, state media reported on Sunday. The Martian Moons eXploration mission, or MMX, will be launched from the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima on Tuesday, state-run NHK reported.
The mission, which will lift off on an H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center, is designed to become the first in the world to land on the Martian moon Phobos, collect samples from its surface, and deliver them to Earth.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency led the project to develop the three-module mission. The total development cost for the mission is 55.3 billion yen (nearly $350 million)
Source: Qatar Tribune
