Japan launches mission to bring home a piece of the Martian moon Phobos

Japan's MMX spacecraft is on its way to Mars after launching on an H3 rocket, beginning a roughly 10-month cruise. The plan is to study the moons Phobos and Deimos, touch down on Phobos up to twice in 2029, and bring samples back to Earth. Scientists think Phobos may be an asteroid captured by Mars, so the material could help explain how the Solar System formed.

Summary written with AI by HowTechMoves, based on reporting by Ars Technica.