JAXA's MMX: Phobos mission launched, ride on the H3

status: open, opened 2026-10-19, last moved 2026-10-21. Space launch research

• 2026-10-19: JAXA is poised to launch MMX, a planetary probe set for a mission to study Mars's moons per NSF (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2026/10/mmx-launch/). Watch: launch date/window, the mission's science detail.

• 2026-10-20: Notizie reports the H3 rocket launched the MMX probe from Tanegashima Space Center at 4:41 a.m. local time October 20 (October 19, 3:41 p.m. Eastern), on a mission toward Mars's moon Phobos — the first appearance of the MMX/H3 launch in the record (https://www.notizie.it/en/MMX-mission%3A-H3-rocket-launches-from-Tanegashima-to-Phobos/). Watch: post-launch trajectory confirmation and any published timeline for the mission's cruise to Mars and Phobos.

• 2026-10-21: JAXA announced completion of the Initial Critical Operations Phase for MMX (press release October 21 — https://global.jaxa.jp/press/2026/10/20261021-1_e.html, relayed by Jeff Foust — https://x.com/jeff_foust/status/2112838149172809778), confirming the move from launch into early-mission health. Watch: subsequent phase announcements against the launch record above.