Japan launched the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission in the early hours of October 20, 2026 (local time) from the Tanegashima Space Center, aboard an H3 rocket, with the goal of returning to Earth at least 10 grams of material from Phobos, one of Mars's two moons. It is the first mission designed to bring back samples from the Martian system.

The project brings together five space agencies and has a total cost of 578 million dollars, of which the Japanese agency JAXA contributes 350 million, according to figures from Associated Press coverage published by The Canadian Press. NASA adds 87 million and two scientific instruments; France's CNES and Germany's DLR contribute the Idefix rover, while the European Space Agency cooperates with 17 million. The probe separated from the rocket a little more than an hour after liftoff, according to the CBS News account.

Phobos measures between 20 and 30 kilometers in diameter and orbits Mars at a distance of about 6,000 kilometers. One of the great questions of planetary science is how it formed: whether it was born from a giant impact against Mars or whether it is an asteroid captured billions of years ago. The samples will allow the material to be compared with the Martian meteorites already studied in laboratories around the world. Thomas Statler, of NASA, said that one of the most interesting questions about Phobos and Deimos is simply why they are there.

The route is mapped out with precision:

  • Late 2027: the probe enters orbit around Mars and synchronizes with Phobos. - Early months of 2029: the Idefix rover is released, and it will explore the terrain under low gravity. - 2029 or 2030: one or two landings by the mother ship, with only two hours of stay, to collect the sample. - 2030: the probe leaves the Martian system. - 2031: the capsule re-enters over Australia.

Markus Grebenstein, of Germany's DLR, described the project as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The case offers the Mexican scientific community a concrete reference for how an international consortium is assembled for a sample-return mission. The Mexican Space Agency promotes the training of specialists and links with agencies in other countries, although it is not among the MMX partners. China is also aiming to bring back Martian samples in 2031, which raises the question of how exploration of the red planet will be divided. The probe's arrival in Mars orbit in late 2027 will be the next point to watch.

This article was written with the assistance of artificial intelligence from verified sources and reviewed by a human editor before publication.