Returning samples from a Mars moon: Inside the science of Japan's bold MMX mission - Space
Japan's MMX mission has launched with the goal of returning the first-ever samples from the Martian moon Phobos to Earth. The spacecraft will spend years studying Phobos and Deimos to uncover secrets about the solar system's formation.
Why it matters
This mission represents a major milestone in space exploration, potentially providing unprecedented data on the history of the Mars system.
Missions Returning the first samples from a Martian moon: Inside the science of Japan's bold MMX mission to Mars News By Josh Dinner Published 18 October 2026 MMX could be the first spacecraft to ever return from orbit around the Red Planet.
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