# Japan launches MMX, the probe set to bring Phobos soil home in 2031

- By: Newsline Post Newsroom
- 2026-11-02T12:50:23.000Z
- Produced with artificial intelligence under human editorial supervision.

## Excerpt

JAXA's mission lifted off on 20 October for Mars with a French-German rover and a goal of collecting at least 10 grams from the Martian moon. Japan's space agency JAXA launched its MMX probe on 20 October 2026 at 04:41 Japan time on an H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center. According to JAXA, the mission will collect at least 10 grams of soil from Phobos, one of Mars's two moons, and bring it back to Earth in 2031, with recovery in Australia. The European Space Agency, a partner in the mission, expects arrival at Mars in summer 2027.

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https://newslinepost.com/en/2026/11/02/japan-launches-mmx-probe-phobos/

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