On October 18, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced
that the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft
will be launched aboard H3 Launch Vehicle Flight No. 10
at 04:41:03 JST on October 20.
MMX is an exploration mission that aims to collect samples
from the Martian moon Phobos and return them to Earth in 2031.
The Announcement: Launch Time Set for Tanegashima
The launch site is the Yoshinobu Launch Complex
at the JAXA Tanegashima Space Center.
The reserved launch period runs from October 21 to November 9,
with the launch time window set for each day during that period.
This is an announcement of the launch time;
the spacecraft has not yet been launched or reached the Martian sphere.
The Goal: Taking Sampling Expertise from Asteroids to a Martian Moon
MMX plans to carry out a sample return at a Martian moon,
observing the body in detail, collecting sand and rock from its surface,
and bringing them back to Earth.
JAXA describes the mission as extending the exploration
that Hayabusa2 achieved at an asteroid to the moons of Mars.
It aims to collect at least 10 g of material from Phobos,
in a world-first sample return mission from the Martian sphere.
On the science side, the mission will investigate
how the Martian moons formed.
It also aims to explore how water and organic matter were transported
and how the Martian sphere has evolved.
About Five Years of Exploration: Observation and Landing, Then a 2031 Return
After launch, MMX is scheduled to reach the Martian sphere in about one year.
It will observe Phobos at close range
and examine candidate landing sites in detail.
After a rover observes the surface first,
the main spacecraft plans to attempt two landings to collect samples.
A flyby observation of Deimos, the other Martian moon,
is also planned.
MMX plans to leave the Martian sphere in 2030
and return to Earth in 2031.
The capsule containing the samples will separate from the spacecraft
and is scheduled to be recovered in Australia.
LC Signal’s Perspective: Gaining Round-Trip, Landing, and Communication Technologies Along with the Samples
MMX also aims to develop technologies for round trips to the Martian sphere,
reaching and staying on a moon’s surface, advanced sampling,
and communication optimized for use with deep space ground stations.
Bringing back at least 10 g of material requires multiple technologies:
traveling, landing, sampling, and communicating.
Along with the scientific results, we will watch
how far these technologies can be proven in actual exploration.
Key Sources
-
JAXA official announcement, October 18, 2026:
Launch time of the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft
aboard H3 Launch Vehicle Flight No.10
-
JAXA MMX official website:
MMX – Martian Moons eXploration
-
JAXA MMX official mission overview:
Mission Overview/Mission Flow
This article was prepared with AI assistance using publicly available information
as of October 19, 2026.
Announcement dates follow the dates shown on the official pages.
The launch date and time and the exploration plan may change in the future.
“LC Signal’s Perspective” reflects this publication’s interpretation
of the available information.