New Delhi, Oct 21: Japan on Tuesday successfully launched its flagship H3 rocket carrying a spacecraft bound for the moons of Mars, beginning an ambitious five-year mission to collect samples that could help scientists understand the origins of the solar system and the emergence of life on Earth, The Japan Times reported.
The 10th H3 rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture at 4.41 am local time, carrying the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) probe developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in collaboration with Mitsubishi Electric.
The spacecraft separated successfully from the rocket and was placed on its trajectory towards Mars at 5.52 am.
“I would like to express my gratitude to everyone in Japan and overseas involved with MMX,” JAXA President Hiroshi Yamakawa said at a news conference after the launch, adding that their cooperation had made the launch possible. Naoki Murakami, general manager of Mitsubishi Electric’s space division, said the launch marked the beginning of a long journey.
“MMX took its first step today. This marks the beginning of a long, five-year journey,” he said.
The launch marks the first time Japan’s H3 rocket has been used to send a spacecraft on an interplanetary mission. The launch was originally scheduled for 2024 but was delayed.
The ¥55.3 billion ($350 million) mission involves a spacecraft weighing around 4.2 tonnes. It is expected to reach Mars in August 2027 and begin observations of its two moons, Phobos and Deimos.
The mission will focus on Phobos, the larger of the two moons, which measures about 27 kilometres across and orbits Mars at a distance of approximately 6,000 kilometres.
If successful, JAXA could become the first space agency to land on a Martian moon, collect samples from its surface and return them to Earth.
The spacecraft is scheduled to attempt two landings on Phobos in 2029, collecting at least 10 grams of material from a depth of at least two centimetres beneath the surface. A small rover, Idefix, jointly developed by French and German space agencies in collaboration with JAXA, will examine the terrain to help identify a suitable landing site.
The probe will also observe Deimos during flybys before beginning its return journey in November 2030. Its sample capsule is scheduled to land in Australia in July 2031.
Scientists hope the samples will help resolve a long-standing debate over the origin of Mars’ moons. One theory holds that Phobos and Deimos are asteroids captured by Mars’ gravitational pull, while another suggests that they formed from debris following a massive collision between Mars and another celestial body.
Determining their origin could provide important clues about the distribution of water and organic compounds in the early solar system and the conditions that may have allowed life to emerge.
The mission brings together JAXA, Mitsubishi Electric, around 20 universities and research institutes, and international partners, including the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the European Space Agency.
Japan is building on its experience in asteroid sample-return missions, including Hayabusa2, which brought 5.4 grams of material from asteroid Ryugu back to Earth in 2020. The MMX mission presents additional technical challenges because the spacecraft must travel into the Martian system and return safely to Earth.
Beyond its scientific objectives, JAXA hopes the mission will help develop technologies needed for future human exploration of Mars.
The launch also comes as China prepares its Tianwen-3 Mars sample-return mission, scheduled for launch in 2028, with samples expected to be returned by 2031.
NASA’s Perseverance rover, which landed on Mars in 2021, has collected samples, but plans to bring them back to Earth have faced major setbacks following cuts to the programme’s funding.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi welcomed the launch in a post on X, expressing hope for the success of the mission and the safe return of samples from the Martian system.
Yasuyoshi Kakita, vice minister for policy coordination at Japan’s education ministry, said the mission’s results could advance space science and exploration technology, while inspiring young people to take an interest in science and technology.
