Japan launches mission to explore Mars' moons and bring back samples
Japan launched a spacecraft on Tuesday on a five-year mission to explore Mars' mysterious moons, Phobos and Deimos, and bring back samples for the first time. The $578 million project aims to deliver dust, soil and rocks to Earth in 2031, potentially shedding light on how the moons formed and the origins of life.
By FRANCE 24Lesotho
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Japan launched a spacecraft on Tuesday on a five-year mission to explore Mars' mysterious moons, Phobos and Deimos, and bring back samples for the first time. The $578 million project aims to deliver dust, soil and rocks to Earth in 2031, potentially shedding light on how the moons formed and the origins of life.
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About this article
- Length
- 54 words · 1 min read
- Published
- October 20, 2026
- Byline
- FRANCE 24
- Source
- France 24 French