Overview
- JAXA’s MMX spacecraft, which lifted off Tuesday on an H3 No.10 rocket from Tanegashima, separated from the launcher and is in a stable, planned trajectory en route to the Mars system.
- Mission teams have entered a cruise and checkout phase that will last through 2027 and aims for the spacecraft to arrive near Mars around August 2027.
- MMX is built as three modular stages and plans two Phobos landings in 2029 to collect more than 10 grams of surface material before performing observations of Deimos and returning a sample capsule to Australia in 2031.
- The mission draws on Japan’s Hayabusa sample‑return heritage and includes NASA‑provided instruments and public diplomatic support from the U.S. Embassy, underlining international cooperation in the project.
- If all milestones succeed, MMX will restore Japan’s presence in Mars‑region exploration, yield new clues about the origin of Mars and its moons, and shape future decisions about using small moons as bases for human or robotic Mars activities.