Japanese scientists are set to launch a spacecraft on Tuesday in a mission aimed at becoming the first to retrieve samples from one of Mars’ moons, potentially providing new insights into the formation of the Solar System and the origins of life on Earth.

The unmanned Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) probe is scheduled to lift off aboard Japan’s flagship H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center at 4:41 am local time, according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

The launch is scheduled for 1941 GMT on Monday.

If successful, the spacecraft is expected to reach the vicinity of Mars around August next year before orbiting Phobos, the larger of the planet’s two moons.

The probe will subsequently land on Phobos and collect at least 10 grams of surface material during its planned three-year mission in the Martian region.

The mission, which aims to complete the first round trip to the Martian region, involves collaboration with US and European space agencies, universities and technology companies.

Beyond advancing scientific knowledge, researchers hope the project will help lay the groundwork for future human exploration of Mars.

JAXA said the mission would investigate how Mars and its two moons, Phobos and Deimos, formed, a question that could help scientists better understand the early history of the Solar System.

One theory, known as the giant impact hypothesis, suggests that the moons formed from debris following a collision between Mars and another celestial body.

The alternative capture hypothesis proposes that the moons were asteroids drawn into orbit by Mars’ gravitational pull.

Determining which theory is correct could provide important clues about the development of rocky planets and the conditions that may support life.

JAXA said the findings could help scientists understand “how a habitable environment for life might have arisen on the terrestrial planets”, referring to Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars.

The mission will also examine whether Phobos could serve as a “natural space station” for future exploration, helping researchers establish the requirements for round-trip journeys involving crewed missions to Mars.

Although the spacecraft will not land on Deimos, it is expected to observe the planet’s smaller moon as part of its scientific investigations.

US, China Also Pursue Mars Samples

Japan’s mission comes amid international efforts to retrieve material directly from Mars and bring it back to Earth.

NASA’s Perseverance rover, which has been exploring the Red Planet since 2021, has already collected rock and soil samples. However, the planned mission to return those samples to Earth was effectively cancelled by President Donald Trump’s administration following a congressional vote in January, according to the report.

China is also pursuing a Mars sample-return mission through its Tianwen-3 programme, which is scheduled for launch around 2028.

The Chinese mission aims to return samples to Earth as early as 2031, potentially before Japan’s MMX spacecraft completes its journey back.

The Japanese mission, however, will focus on samples from Phobos rather than directly from the Martian surface, offering a different scientific opportunity to investigate the origins of the planet’s moons and the evolution of the Solar System.