# Japan Launches World-First Mission to Collect Samples from Martian Moon

> Japan's spacecraft aims to bring back samples from Phobos, one of Mars' moons, for clues about solar system origins.
- Title: Japan Launches World-First Mission to Collect Samples from…
- Summary: Japan's spacecraft aims to bring back samples from Phobos, one of Mars' moons, for clues about solar system origins. Japan's MMX mission will collect soil…
- Keywords: japan, phobos, mars, jaxa, mmx, space exploration, martian moon, soil samples, science, Launches, World-First, Mission
- Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/science/2026/oct/18/japan-mission-mars-moon-phobos-samples
- Author: Associated Press
- Published: 2026-10-18T08:11:55+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: japan, phobos, mars, jaxa, mmx, space exploration, martian moon, soil samples, science
## Japan to launch world-first mission
Japan is launching a spacecraft on the world's first mission to bring back samples from Phobos, one of Mars' moons.
## Mission aims to take five years
The mission, expected to take five years, will provide clues to how Phobos and Deimos formed and shed light on solar system origins.
## Jaxa to launch on H3 rocket
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Jaxa) aims to launch the spacecraft on Tuesday using a new Japanese H3 rocket.
## Project manager explains importance
Yasuhiro Kawakatsu, the project manager, said samples from Phobos would provide useful data for future manned Mars missions.
## Martian moons remain unexplored
Despite their potential importance, Martian moons have never been fully investigated, according to Kawakatsu.
## Phobos and Deimos formation
Scientists believe Phobos and Deimos could be remnants of debris from a Mars collision or asteroids from elsewhere.
## Mission timeline
After launching on the H3 rocket, the spacecraft will arrive at Mars in August 2027, fly near Phobos for three years, and return samples in 2031.
## Key takeaway

Japan's MMX mission will collect soil samples from Phobos in 2031 to study the moon's formation and potential signs of past life on Mars.