Japanese H3 sends MMX toward Phobos and is filmed in orbit
Japan's MMX spacecraft launched atop an H3-24L rocket from Tanegashima on October 19, beginning a roughly 10-month trip to Mars. The mission aims to sample the Martian moon Phobos and return material to Earth, a first-of-its-kind round trip. Astronomer Daichi Fujii captured video of the rocket's upper stage and payload in low Earth orbit after separation.
MMX rode an H3-24L from Tanegashima’s Yoshinobu complex on October 19. JAXA says the rocket performed as planned and released the probe about 71 minutes after liftoff into its intended orbit. The craft spans 29.5 feet with solar arrays open and should arrive at Mars in August 2027.
A 25-kg rover named Idefix is to be deployed in early 2029, before the lander touches down on Phobos later that year. The lander is designed to gather at least 10 grams with two tools, seal the material, and send it toward Earth for recovery in Australia in 2031.
The MMX round trip could sharpen public interest in planetary science and give researchers a rare chance to study Phobos material in laboratories. Its international partners may gain experience in deep-space sample return, while engineers and mission planners could apply lessons to future Mars-system exploration. For broader audiences, the mission may make distant moons feel more tangible through launch imagery and eventual sample analysis, though its practical effects will depend on whether the spacecraft meets its 2029–2031 milestones.