Japan launches mission to return samples from Mars moon Phobos
Japan has launched a spacecraft to collect about 10 grams of dust from the Martian moon Phobos and return it to Earth in 2031.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Japan has launched a spacecraft on a mission to bring back the first pristine samples from a moon of Mars. The H-3 rocket lifted off from a remote Japanese island, carrying the Mars Moons Exploration spacecraft. The launch begins a journey of about 34 million miles that is expected to take around a year. If successful, it will be the first time material has been retrieved from Mars or its moons for analysis on Earth.
Phobos is about 20 kilometres, or 12 miles, across. Deimos is smaller. Apart from Earth's Moon, they are the only moons in the inner solar system. Scientists do not know how they formed. One theory is that a space rock hit early Mars and the debris formed the moons. Another is that they are asteroids captured by Mars's gravity. The mission should reveal the answer.
Until now, scientists have studied Martian material only through meteorites that fell to Earth. These are rare and become contaminated as they pass through the atmosphere. A returned sample would be pristine. It could also contain small fragments of Mars implanted after the moon formed.
The spacecraft will reach the Mars system next year and study Deimos during a flyby. It will then head to Phobos and land a rover to explore the terrain. No one has tried this on a body so small. The spacecraft will later land and collect a sample. About 10 grams of moon rock will return to Earth in 2031.
Scientists say small samples are enough. Individual grains can support several studies. Japan has already returned asteroid material, including from Ryugu, and those samples allowed a different level of laboratory analysis. The mission is also seen as a way to understand the early solar system. Mars got its moons around four and a half billion years ago. A piece of Phobos could act as a time capsule.
Landing and sampling will be difficult. Phobos has very low gravity. A 25 kilogram rover would have an equivalent weight of only about 15 grams there. The spacecraft must use a core drill and a pneumatic burst to collect dust, then bring it back while Earth and Phobos are moving. Russia has tried and failed to reach Phobos before. Scientists have planned for many possible problems.
On screen
Stills are sampled automatically at 60-second intervals. Where shown, the still is the nearest available frame from the relevant broadcast segment and is included to show what was on screen during that part of the broadcast. A still may not correspond to the exact second of a quoted phrase.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reported by all 3 channels | |||
| A Japanese mission is due to launch later today to collect a sample from Phobos and return it to Earth. | |||
| The mission is intended to bring roughly 10 grams of Phobos material back to Earth in 2031. | |||
| Reported by a few · 2 channels | |||
| Phobos is approximately 20 kilometres, or 12 miles, across. | Reported by BBC News | Not reported by ITV | |
| The spacecraft is expected to reach Mars next year, study Deimos during a flyby, and later land a rover on Phobos. | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by ITV | |
| Only on one channel | |||
| Russia previously attempted and failed to land on Phobos. | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC ONE West relied on a science editor package to explain the mission. It focused on the mystery of how Phobos and Deimos formed and on why a pristine sample matters. Later bulletins confirmed the launch and kept the emphasis on the 10 gram sample and its return in 2031.
- “Its mission? To grab a tiny piece of this moon and bring it back to Earth.”
- “It's the first time anyone's ever attempted this.”
- “Just 10 grams of moon rock will come back, but every grain contains a wealth of science”
BBC NEWS carried the same explanatory package and added a studio interview with a science writer. The interview went deeper into the origin puzzle and the technical risks, including the low gravity rover landing and the sample collection mechanism. One bulletin also wrongly said the mission would take off from Canada.
- “it's another one you actually bring back material that you can actually use in the lab”
- “the rover itself is 25 kilograms but when it lands on phobos it's going to only have an equivalent weight of about 15 grams”
- “a mission to mars is going to get underway taking off from canada”
ITV1 led with the drama of the night launch and the scale of the journey. It highlighted that Russia has tried and failed to reach Phobos and used simple comparisons for the sample, including a single teabag. Its tone was more vivid, calling the mission archaeology in space.
- “A thunderous liftoff for Japan's H-3 rocket.”
- “A robotic arm will be deployed collecting ten grams of dust about the same weight as a single teabag.”
- “Archaeology in space.”
Who was on air
People and organisations each channel put on air while covering this story. Channels' own presenters and reporters are not listed. Names as transcribed, and the list can miss people.
- 18:52 BST
Niamh Shaw, science writer
The World Today with Maryam · Mon 19 Oct
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.