JAXA Prepares 5-Year Mars-Phobos Round-Trip Mission for Launch Later in 2026

3 articles · Updated · Myanmar International TV · Aug 14

Japan is readying a five-year unmanned Martian Moons eXploration mission that would become the first round-trip expedition to Mars and Phobos.
Later this year, the JAXA-led spacecraft is due to lift off from Tanegashima Space Center and then spend about three years in Mars orbit.
The mission will attempt landings on both Mars and Phobos, expanding its scientific reach beyond orbital observation.
JAXA says the project aims to probe how the Solar System formed while laying groundwork for future human habitation on the Red Planet.

Sources

Myanmar International TV6d ago

Japan's JAXA Prepares Five-Year Unmanned Mars and Phobos Mission

vietnam.vn5d ago

JAXA is about to launch a Mars lunar exploration spacecraft weighing over 4.4 tons.

Facebook6d ago

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has unveiled an unmanned probe to be used in the Martian Moons eXploration project, which will explore the Martian moon Phobos. https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/science-nature/science/20260815-343418/

Can Japan's unprecedented round-trip mission conquer Phobos's extreme low gravity before the moon is eventually ripped apart by Mars?

Will bringing back just 10 grams of dirt from a doomed Martian moon rewrite the history of our entire Solar System?

Racing to Mars: How JAXA’s MMX Mission Will Deliver the First-Ever Phobos Samples to Earth by 2031

Overview

Japan's MMX mission to Mars' moons faced major delays after issues with the H3 rocket, risking a missed launch window that only comes every 26 months. After a second rocket failure, JAXA engineers quickly fixed the problem, restoring confidence and keeping the mission on track. The new H3-30S rocket proved reliable in June 2026, clearing the way for launch. MMX will use special orbits to study Phobos, where low gravity makes landing and sampling risky. The IDEFIX rover will scout the surface, helping JAXA safely collect samples. These will reveal the moons' origins and offer new insights into Mars and its atmosphere.

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