Japan readies Martian moon mission to uncover origins of life

Japanese scientists are readying a mission to Mars’s moons to retrieve samples that could help unlock the origins of the Solar System and life on Earth, in what aims to be the first round trip to the Martian region.

The uncrewed Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) probe, a collaboration with US and European space agencies as well as numerous universities and tech companies, could also help lay the groundwork for eventual human exploration.

The flagship H3 rocket carrying the MMX is set to blast-off from the Tanegashima Space Center Tuesday at 4.41am, according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

“Being able to be involved in such a grand mission is incredibly exciting,” Makoto Arita, project manager of JAXA’s H3 rocket team, told reporters two days before the launch.