Japan launching bold sample-return mission to Mars moon Phobos today: Watch it live - Space
Japan's JAXA has successfully launched the MMX mission to collect samples from the Martian moon Phobos. The mission aims to determine the origin of the Martian moons, which remains a mystery to scientists.
Why it matters
This mission provides critical data on the formation of the solar system and the history of Mars, marking a significant milestone in space exploration.
Solar System Mars Watch Japan launch a bold sample-return mission to Mars moon Phobos today News By Mike Wall Published 19 October 2026 The MMX mission is scheduled to lift off today (Oct. 19) at 3:41 p.m. ET (1941 GMT).
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Click for next article Copy link Facebook X Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Editor's note: Japan launched its bold MMX sample-return mission to the Mars moon Phobos on Oct. 19) at 3:41 p.m. EDT (1941 GMT). Watch a replay of the liftoff and read our launch story here.
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