Japan to launch world-first mission to Mars' moon Phobos

Japan is preparing a mission that will be the first of its kind to travel to Phobos, the larger of Mars' two moons. The spacecraft is designed to study the moon's surface and composition, with the aim of shedding light on how Mars and its satellites formed. Officials have framed the effort as a milestone for Japan's space program and its growing role in planetary exploration. The article provides further details on the timeline and scientific goals, though it is not reflected in the source text supplied here.