Japan launches historic mission to the moons of Mars

Published 2026-10-19

The Japanese space agency (JAXA) has officially announced the upcoming launch of an ambitious mission named MMX. The primary objective of this project is to explore Phobos and Deimos, the two moons of the planet Mars. This mission represents a major milestone for international space research and is attracting interest from scientists around the world, including in France.

The spacecraft will have to travel millions of kilometers before reaching Martian orbit. Once there, its mission will be to collect samples of dust and rock from Phobos, the larger of the two moons. These samples will then be brought back to Earth to be analyzed in a laboratory. Researchers hope that these samples will provide a better understanding of the formation of the solar system.

France is playing a key role in this scientific adventure. The National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) is collaborating closely with JAXA by providing high-precision instruments. This Franco-Japanese cooperation highlights the importance of joining scientific forces to succeed in such complex and costly missions.

If the mission is a success, it will help answer fundamental questions about the origin of the Martian moons. Are they asteroids captured by Mars' gravity or fragments resulting from a giant impact on the Red Planet? The answers provided by the samples could transform our current view of the history of Mars.

The launch is scheduled for the coming years, marking the beginning of a long period of space travel. For astronomy enthusiasts and citizens alike, this mission serves as a reminder that space exploration remains a priority for humanity, aimed at expanding our knowledge of the universe that surrounds us.

Sources: Ouest-France

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