Japan prepares MMX mission to return samples from Phobos

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The Manila times

Japan's unmanned Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft is set to launch from Tanegashima in the coming months to study Mars' moons, attempt a Phobos landing and collect at least 10 grams of surface material. The craft will spend about three years in Mars orbit, deploy the French IDEFIX rover for surface observations, observe Deimos without landing, and return a sample capsule to Australia around 2031. The mission is a multinational effort with CNES, DLR, NASA and ESA participation, and it aims to test technologies relevant to possible crewed Mars missions while competing with China's planned Tianwen-3 sample return.

MMX will collect at least 10 grams of material from Phobos.