Japan launches mission to explore Mars' moons and bring back samples
Summary
Japan launched a spacecraft on a mission to explore Mars' moons, Phobos and Deimos, and bring back samples to Earth. The mission aims to collect dust, soil, and rocks from Phobos by 2031 to help scientists understand how the moons formed and the origins of life.Key Facts
- The mission is called Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) and costs $578 million.
- The spacecraft was launched from Tanegashima Space Center in Japan.
- It will take about five years for the mission to complete, with samples expected to return in 2031.
- A French-German rover named Idefix will land on Phobos to scout for safe areas before the main lander collects samples.
- Phobos is about 22 kilometers across and has very low gravity.
- The lander will spend about two hours on Phobos to drill and collect at least 10 grams of material.
- The spacecraft will also fly by Deimos before returning to Earth.
- This is the first mission aiming to bring back samples from Mars' moons.
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