Tokyo, Oct. 20 (Jiji Press)–The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, successfully launched an H3 rocket carrying the Martian Moons eXploration, or MMX, probe on Tuesday. The No. 10 H3 rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, at 4:41 a.m. About 1 hour and 11 minutes later, the rocket successfully placed the MMX into its planned orbit, completing a successful launch. Following three consecutive successful launches, the H3 rocket’s success rate has risen to 80 pct. The MMX is slated to collect sand samples from Phobos after landing on the Martian moon, and return to Earth in 2031. If successful, it would be the world’s first sample return mission from a Martian moon and the first round-trip voyage to the Martian system. Expectations are high that the MMX mission will provide insights into the origins of Mars and its moons, as well as the origin of life on Earth. “We have confirmed that the probe is in a stable condition,” Yasuhiro Kawakatsu, professor at JAXA’s Institute of Space and Astronautical Science and the leader of the MMX mission, said at a press conference after the launch. “I would like to thank everyone who has supported the project and all those involved in the rocket launch.” Makoto Arita, manager of JAXA’s H3 project team, said, “I am delighted that we were able to open the first chapter of the historic MMX mission with the H3 rocket.” The MMX consists of three modules, with components no longer needed being detached as the mission progresses. The spacecraft weighed about 4.5 tons at launch. It is scheduled to enter orbit around Mars in about a year and then approach Phobos. After conducting detailed observations of the moon’s surface and identifying a landing site based on scientific value and safety considerations, the MMX aims to make two landings in 2029 and collect at least 10 grams of samples. After completing its exploration of Phobos, the MMX will also carry out close observations of Deimos, Mars’ other moon. Upon its return to Earth in 2031, the probe will release a sample capsule for recovery in a desert region of Australia. The MMX was originally scheduled for launch in 2024, but the mission was postponed by two years following the failed launch of an H3 rocket. JAXA has adopted various measures to prevent biological contamination of both Earth and Phobos under the principle of planetary protection. Mars is viewed as an important target of exploration for uncovering the origin of life, and contamination by microbes from Earth could undermine the scientific value. The MMX and its assembly site have undergone microbial surveys, and a microbial testing facility was set up at the Tanegashima Space Center. There have been concerns that samples returned by the MMX could contaminate Earth because they may contain microbes from Mars if any exist, as sand ejected from the Martian surface by meteorite impacts may have reached Phobos. Still, JAXA simulations estimated that such ejected sand would hit the surface of Phobos at speeds of several kilometers per second, likely killing almost all possible microbes. “We want to conduct planetary protection activities that pave the way for future Martian landing missions,” Takashi Ozawa, a senior research and development member at JAXA, said. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
