JAXA unveils Martian moon probe to be launched on sample-taking mission

Japan's space agency has shown to the media a Martian moon probe scheduled to be launched as early as this autumn. The goal of the mission will be to bring the first-ever surface samples of the moon Phobos back to earth. Members of the media were invited to the Tanegashima Space Center on Thursday to view the Martian Moons Exploration craft, or MMX. JAXA has spent around 347 million dollars developing the probe for what it hopes will be the world's first successful attempt to land on a Martian moon and bring back surface samples.

Source: www3.nhk.or.jp