MMX set to launch 19 October to sample Phobos
Japan-led MMX is scheduled to launch 19 October 2026 to become the first mission to collect samples from Phobos and return them to Earth.
The story in focus
The Japan-led Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission is set to launch on a H3 rocket from Tanegashima Space Center at 04:41 JST on 20 October 2026 (20:41 BST / 21:41 CEST on 19 October). It aims to be the first mission to collect a sample from Phobos and return it to Earth.
- MMX is scheduled to launch on an H3 rocket from Tanegashima Space Center at 04:41 JST on 20 October 2026.
- MMX would be the first mission to collect a sample from Phobos and bring it back to Earth.
- The mission plans to deploy the Idefix rover in early 2029 and land on Phobos in 2030 to collect samples.
Launch and mission partners
The Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission is set to launch on an H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center at 04:41 JST on 20 October 2026, which corresponds to 20:41 BST or 21:41 CEST on 19 October. The mission is led by JAXA in collaboration with NASA, CNES, DLR and ESA.
According to ESA, MMX would be the first mission to collect a sample from Mars’s moon Phobos and return it to Earth. It would also be the first spacecraft to orbit Phobos and the first to collect samples from a moon other than Earth’s.
Science and hardware
The origin of Phobos and Deimos remains uncertain; they may be captured asteroids or debris from a giant impact on Mars. ESA states that samples are needed to investigate this question and to study the evolution of Mars and the Solar System.
MMX carries 11 science instruments, including seven on the main spacecraft and four on the 25-kg Idefix rover. The rover is designed to prepare for the main spacecraft’s landing and to analyse the composition and texture of Phobos’s surface.
Timeline and sample return
MMX is expected to enter orbit around Mars in August 2027 and orbit Phobos from September 2027. The Idefix rover is planned for release in early 2029, and the main spacecraft is scheduled to land on Phobos in 2030 to collect samples.
The return module is planned to arrive at Earth in 2031 and deliver at least ten grams of Phobos material in a capsule that will land in Australia before being transferred to Japan. ESA says samples are planned to be made available to European scientists.
When is the MMX mission scheduled to launch?
MMX is set to launch on an H3 rocket from Tanegashima Space Center at 04:41 JST on 20 October 2026, which is 20:41 BST or 21:41 CEST on 19 October 2026.
Sources & further reading
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