Japan Launches First Mission to Collect Samples From a Martian Moon
JAXA's MMX probe reached its planned orbit after liftoff on an H3 rocket from Tanegashima.
Japan launched a spacecraft Tuesday on the first mission to collect rock and sand samples from a moon of Mars, according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, as reported by Kyodo News and Anadolu Agency.
The Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) probe separated from its H3 rocket and entered its planned orbit, JAXA said. The rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center at 4:41 a.m. local time (3:41 p.m. ET Monday). Project manager Makoto Arita said the spacecraft reached orbit with "exceptional precision."
