Event Brief
UPDATED Oct 20, 2026 at 6:07 AM ET
Oct 19, 2026 at 3:07 PM ET
Japan launches MMX spacecraft toward Phobos
By The BriefBrief
Japan's Mars Moons Exploration (MMX) spacecraft has launched from Japan and is heading to Phobos, one of Mars' moons. The Japanese space agency-led mission will attempt to collect surface material and return it to Earth; it is scheduled to reach Phobos in August 2027. The samples could help investigate how the moons formed.
WHO: Japan's space agency-led Mars Moons Exploration mission
WHAT: Launched the MMX spacecraft from Japan toward Phobos to collect and return surface samples.
WHEN: Reported Oct 20, 2026 at 3:16 AM ET
WHERE: Japan
WHY: The mission aims to collect samples that could help answer questions about how Mars' moons formed.
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