Japan launches spacecraft to explore Martian moon

Japan launches spacecraft to explore Martian moon

October 20

Japan has begun a space exploration mission aimed at bringing back soil samples from Phobos, one of Mars' moons, to Earth.

The H3 rocket carrying the spacecraft named MMX (Martian Moons eXploration) for the mission was launched from Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, at 4:41 a.m. on October 20.

One hour and 11 minutes after the rocket launch, the MMX spacecraft successfully reached the flight path heading toward Mars, it is reported.

The mission aims to become the first spacecraft to land on Phobos, collect soil samples from the surface, and bring them back to Earth, it is said.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said the spacecraft, built at a cost of about 55.3 billion yen (approximately 350 million US dollars), is expected to reach the vicinity of Mars around August next year. After that, it will conduct exploration and study for three years and is expected to return to Earth with the soil samples within the fiscal year ending in March 2032, it is reported.

JAXA hopes to develop new technologies needed for exploring the Martian environment through the mission. In addition, the Japanese space agency hopes to gain a deeper understanding of the history of how Mars' moons formed through scientific observations and soil sample testing, it is reported.

Ref & Photo: NHK

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