JAXA launched its MMX sample return mission to Phobos on October 20th. It was sent on its way in an H3 launch vehicle, Japan's next-generation heavy-lift launch vehicle. It will reach Mars in August 2027, and after several years will return a sample from Phobos to Earth. Image Credit: JAXA.

JAXA successfully launched its Martian Moon eXplorer on its way to Mars and Phobos. It'll reach Mars in about six months, and will orbit the planet for about a month before transferring to an orbit around Phobos. It will deploy a small lander, which will help select a sample-gathering location for the main part of the mission. By 2031, the regolith sample from Phobos should be back on Earth.

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