An artist’s concept of JAXA’s MMX spacecraft during its Mars’ orbit insertion. The Martian moon Phobos, which MMX will explore and sample, is in the background. Image: JAXA

Japan launches a ground-breaking mission to the Mars moon Phobos today, and you can watch live.

The JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) MMX (Martian Moons eXploration) mission aims to collect samples from Phobos , the larger of Mars’ two moons, and deliver it back to Earth for analysis. If successful, the samples could help solve long-standing mysteries about Mars’ moons, including their origin.

Launch live streaming of Martian Moons eXploration (MMX)/H3 Launch Vehicle flight No.10(English)

In 1877, US astronomer Asaph Hall discovered Phobos and its smaller sibling, Deimos.…