The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s launch of the spacecraft Tuesday on a new Japanese mainstay H-3 rocket comes as the United States, China and others consider sending astronauts to Mars. Japan is launching a spacecraft on a groundbreaking mission to bring back samples from Phobos, one of Mars' moons Key points and original sources are listed below.

• The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s launch of the spacecraft Tuesday on a new Japanese mainstay H-3 rocket comes as the United States, China and others consider sending astronauts to Mars.S1

• Japan is launching a spacecraft on a groundbreaking mission to bring back samples from Phobos, one of Mars' moonsS2