TOKYO, October 20. /TASS/. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has launched the MMX probe, which is expected to become the first spacecraft in the world to land on Phobos, one of Mars’ moons, and bring soil samples back to Earth.

The probe was launched aboard an H3 heavy-lift rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center. JAXA is broadcasting the launch live.

The MMX probe’s main mission is to collect soil samples from Phobos. The spacecraft is expected to return to Earth in 2031 and release a capsule containing the samples. By analyzing these samples, Japanese specialists hope to gain insights into the origins of Phobos and Mars itself.