Mars moon samples to land in South Australia in world-first mission

A spacecraft led by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has begun a five-year mission to collect samples from Phobos, the larger of Mars' two moons, according to the Northern Daily Leader and Goulburn Post.

The mission involves a collaboration of five space agencies aiming to land a robotic prospector and rover on Phobos, which has never been explored in person before.

The spacecraft launched successfully from Tanegashima Island, Japan, with flight controllers celebrating the separation of the spacecraft from the rocket's upper stage.

If the mission succeeds, dust, soil, and rock samples from Phobos will return to Earth in 2031, landing in the South Australian desert near Woomera for scientific study.

South Australia's Space Industries Minister highlighted the mission as a demonstration of the state's growing role in international space efforts, offering opportunities for local researchers and industry.

The mission marks a first in space exploration, as no previous mission has landed on Mars' moons or retrieved samples from them.