Japan prepares historic spacecraft mission to collect Martian moon samples

Japan is launching a pioneering space mission to bring back samples from the Martian moon Phobos.

Japan is leading a five-year space mission to launch a spacecraft to Phobos, one of the moons orbiting Mars. The historic endeavor aims to retrieve surface samples from the Martian body for the first time. Scientists hope the mission will provide clues about the solar system's origins and pave the way for future human space exploration.

• The destinationThe spacecraft will travel to Phobos, a potato-shaped moon orbiting Mars.
• The timelineThe ambitious space agency project is scheduled to run for five years.
• The significanceResearchers describe the target as one of the most important unclimbed mountains in the solar system.