UpcomingOctober 13, 2026 · updated October 13, 2026
Martian Moons eXploration mission prepares for launch to Phobos
JAXA and its international partners are set to launch the MMX mission on 19 October to collect samples from Mars's moon Phobos.
The Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission is scheduled to lift off aboard an H3 rocket from Tanegashima Space Center at 20:41 BST on 19 October 2026. The mission is led by JAXA in collaboration with NASA and ESA.
MMX will travel to Mars to target its moon Phobos, aiming to become the first spacecraft to collect a sample from a Martian moon and return it to Earth for laboratory analysis.