Japan launches unprecedented mission to bring back samples from Mars' moon Phobos

What happened: Japan launched the MMX spacecraft from Tanegashima Island on a five-year mission to land a rover and a lander on Mars' moon Phobos and return samples to Earth. Key numbers: $578 million total mission cost; Japan $350 million, NASA $87 million, France about $68 million, Germany about $56 million, ESA some $17 million. Why it matters: No mission has ever landed on Phobos or Deimos or returned samples from the Martian system. China plans its own Mars sample return launch in 2028, also targeting 2031, so the two could end up neck and neck. Coverage: 9 outlets in 24h

Japan launched the MMX spacecraft from Tanegashima Island on a five-year mission to land a rover and a lander on Mars' moon Phobos and return samples to Earth.

No mission has ever landed on Phobos or Deimos or returned samples from the Martian system. China plans its own Mars sample return launch in 2028, also targeting 2031, so the two could end up neck and neck.