Japan Launches Historic MMX Sample-Return Mission to Mars' Moon Phobos

Japan successfully launched the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission using an H3 rocket developed by JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Scheduled to arrive in August 2027, the spacecraft will be the first to land on and return samples from Phobos. Scientists aim to resolve whether the moons originated from a giant impact or captured asteroids. This historic mission seeks to provide critical insights into the origins of the solar system and how life may have begun.