Tokyo (Web Desk): Japan has taken a major step in space exploration by launching an uncrewed spacecraft toward Phobos, one of Mars’ moons. The spacecraft, developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), was launched aboard an H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center. It is also the first operational mission of the new H3 rocket.
The spacecraft is expected to reach the Martian region in August 2027. It will then study Phobos and collect at least 10 grams of material from its surface.
Under the mission plan, the spacecraft is scheduled to return to Earth by 2031, bringing the collected samples back for scientific analysis. Researchers hope the samples will provide valuable information about Phobos’ composition and formation.
Japanese scientists expect the mission to help determine the origins of both Martian moons, Phobos and Deimos, and answer questions about the early evolution of the solar system.
The samples are particularly important because their analysis could reveal how Phobos formed and what materials make up its surface.
The mission marks a significant milestone in Japan’s space exploration programme. If successful, the detailed study of the returned samples could open new avenues for understanding the history of Mars and its moons.