Martian Moons eXploration by JAXA: status and timeline

Milestones

Next · H3 F10 launch with MMX

MMX mission approved2015Complete.
Spacecraft assembly and testing2024Complete.
H3 F10 launch with MMXTarget 20 Oct 2026Current milestone.
Mars orbit insertionTarget 2027Not yet reached.
Phobos sample collection and rover operationsTarget 2029Not yet reached.
Sample return to EarthTarget 2031Not yet reached.

Upcoming

20 Oct 2026H3 F10 launch with MMXin 9 days (next)
2027Mars orbit insertion
2029Phobos sample collection and rover operations
2031Sample return to Earth

Current obstacles

Phobos gravity is extremely lowWith minimal surface gravity, landing and takeoff require specialized techniques.

Physics limits

Distance and communication delayRadio signals take 3–20 minutes each way, so the spacecraft must operate autonomously.
Sample sterilityReturning pristine samples requires avoiding contamination by Earth microbes.

How it works

2 parts

Collection

Robotic sample collection from Phobos

A robotic arm collects pristine rock and soil samples from Phobos's surface without contamination.

Analysis

Scientific study of returned samples

Samples return to Earth where laboratories analyze their composition, age and history with large tools.

Spec sheet

Spec	Martian Moons eXploration
Launch date	October 20, 2026^R (reported)

^R reported by the company

About JAXA

The team behind Martian Moons eXploration

JAXA

Martian Moons eXploration, H3 rocket

Japan's national space agency, responsible for launch vehicles, exploration spacecraft and ISS experiments. Leads Japan's space science and deep-space missions.

JAXA operates Japan's H3 heavy-lift launch vehicle and leads scientific deep-space missions.
The Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft launches on H3 F10 on October 20, 2026, to return samples from Phobos.
MMX is a collaborative mission with NASA, ESA, CNES and DLR.

global.jaxa.jp (opens global.jaxa.jp)Company profile →

Founded: 200323 yrs
Headquarters: Japan
Status: Government
Valuation: government
Works in: SpaceflightLaunch
Coverage: 1 program · 1 updatelatest 20 Aug 2026checked 11 Oct
Partners: NASA (opens nasa.gov)European Space Agency (opens esa.int)French Space Agency (opens cnes.fr)German Aerospace Center (opens dlr.de)
People: Hiroshi Yamakawa (opens global.jaxa.jp)President