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MMX Launch Confirms Nominal Separation, Targets Phobos Sampling

By Drooid · Oct 20, 2026, 3:14 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

JAXA Launches MMX

JAXA launched the MMX spacecraft on an H3 rocket from Tanegashima on Oct 20 2026.
The spacecraft separated 71 minutes after liftoff, confirming nominal performance.
MMX will reach Mars orbit in August 2027 and enter a quasi-satellite orbit around Phobos.
The mission will conduct two soft landings on Phobos to collect at least 10 grams of material.
NASA and ESA jointly provide instruments, communication hardware, Deep Space Network support, and $87 million funding for MMX.

Summary

Mitsubishi Takes Over

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and JAXA will discuss transferring launch operations to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
The shift could halve launch costs, currently about 10 billion yen per flight.
After the 10th flight, the H3 rocket’s cumulative success rate rose to 80%, up from 78%.
Nikkei reports the transfer may let Japan capture satellite-launch market share that SpaceX cannot absorb.

History

Historical Context

Japan’s first deep-space probe Hiten, launched in February 1990 by ISAS, proved low-energy lunar capture using a ballistic trajectory proposed by JPL’s Edward Belbruno and James Miller and performed the first aerobraking maneuver in March 1991. That breakthrough underpins today’s JAXA-led MMX mission, backed by NASA and ESA with an $87 million contribution, and the upcoming H3 launch contract with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries aimed at halving the 10-billion-yen per-flight price.

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JAXA Launches MMX

JAXA launched the MMX spacecraft on an H3 rocket from Tanegashima on Oct 20 2026.
The spacecraft separated 71 minutes after liftoff, confirming nominal performance.
MMX will reach Mars orbit in August 2027 and enter a quasi-satellite orbit around Phobos.
The mission will conduct two soft landings on Phobos to collect at least 10 grams of material.
NASA and ESA jointly provide instruments, communication hardware, Deep Space Network support, and $87 million funding for MMX.

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