Universe Today
• David Dickinson
The Martian Moons eXploration mission is scheduled to launch aboard an H3 rocket from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center at 04:41 JST on Oct. 20, 2026. MMX is designed to collect material from Mars’ moon Phobos and return it to Earth, a first for a mission to a Martian moon.
Mars
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NASA’s SkyFall helicopters are expected to extend exploration beyond areas accessible to ground vehicles, covering distance quickly and reaching terrain that may otherwise be difficult or impossible to examine. Scientists say the aircraft could give researchers views of parts of Mars not previously seen.
SpaceX’s Starship has reached orbit ten years after Elon Musk publicly unveiled plans for the fully reusable megarocket. The milestone advances the vehicle toward its stated Mars ambition, but the article offers no schedule for reaching the planet, leaving the timeline the central unanswered question.
Astronauts traveling to Mars or elsewhere in deep space will face radiation and weightlessness—hazards that Earth’s surface shields people from. The article highlights the potential threat these conditions pose to the heart, making human health a central concern for future deep-space missions.
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The Martian Moons eXploration mission is scheduled to launch aboard an H3 rocket from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center at 04:41 JST on Oct. 20, 2026. MMX is designed to collect material from Mars’ moon Phobos and return it to Earth, a first for a mission to a Martian moon.
High activity
Perseverance reached 28.10 miles (45.22 kilometers) on Oct. 11, surpassing the 28.06-mile (45.16-kilometer) record set by NASA’s Opportunity rover, which explored Mars from 2004 to 2018. The milestone makes Perseverance the farthest-driving vehicle on the surface of another world.
A nonprofit biotechnology research startup says it has engineered a microbe that may one day help support human settlement on Mars. The article provides no details on the organism’s capabilities, development stage or deployment plans, so its potential remains preliminary.
A new study finds that Earth and Mars may have formed through different processes. The discovery could help scientists assess whether exoplanets are habitable, linking evidence from the formation of neighboring planets to broader efforts to understand which worlds beyond our solar system might support life.
Rocket Lab is challenging NASA’s decision on a Mars mission contract while emphasizing that the agency represents a limited share of its broader business. The dispute highlights the company’s effort to balance government space work with a more diversified commercial strategy.
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Our Mars Exploration news feed is the go-to source for the latest discoveries, mission updates, and technological advancements related to the Red Planet. With a focus on the international efforts to explore Mars, from robotic rovers to plans for human colonization, our coverage tracks humanity's progress in uncovering the secrets of our celestial neighbor.
