Japan to launch space mission to bring samples from Martian moon to Earth

Japan is set to launch a space mission on Tuesday to bring samples from a Martian moon to Earth, state media reported on Sunday.

The Martian Moons eXploration mission, or MMX, will be launched from the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima on Tuesday, state-run NHK reported.

The mission, which will lift off on an H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center, is designed to become the first in the world to land on the Martian moon Phobos, collect samples from its surface, and deliver them to Earth.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency led the project to develop the three-module mission. The total development cost for the mission is 55.3 billion yen (nearly $350 million).

The exploration module carries sampling equipment, various observation instruments, and two super high-definition cameras.

The mission is expected to reach the vicinity of Mars about one year after launch. It will then spend three years conducting observations.

The return module will likely deliver the samples to Earth during the fiscal year ending in March 2032.