Japan heads to Mars’ moon to investigate solar system’s origins

Japanese scientists are preparing to retrieve material from one of Mars’ moons to investigate how the two satellites formed.

Photo via JAXA | 宇宙航空研究開発機構 (YouTube)

Japan is aiming for the red planet’s moons. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency is preparing to send its Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft to collect more than 10 grams from the surface of the larger Phobos, while observing the smaller Deimos.

If successful, the mission would bring samples to Earth around…