Japan launches first sample-return mission to Mars's moon Phobos

Japan has launched a five-year mission to collect rock samples from the Martian moon Phobos and return them to Earth in 2031.

• The MMX spacecraft lifted off aboard Japan's H3 rocket from Tanegashima Space Center at 4:41 a.m. local time on Tuesday.
• JAXA declared the launch a success about an hour later, when the spacecraft separated from the rocket's upper stage.
• The mission will collect at least 10 grams of soil from Phobos, reach Mars orbit in August 2027, and return samples in 2031.
• JAXA stated the samples will help determine how Phobos and Deimos formed and whether they hold material linked to the origins of life.