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NASA and Blue Origin are preparing to launch two small spacecraft to Mars later this year to study how the planet lost most of its atmosphere. The ESCAPADE mission, carried by Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket from Cape Canaveral, will send twin probes into orbit around Mars to track how solar particles strip away its air.
The spacecraft are part of NASA’s low-cost planetary program and are scheduled to launch in late October or early November. The mission is led by the University of California, Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory, with spacecraft built by Rocket Lab. NASA says the data could help explain how Mars changed from a wetter, potentially habitable world into the desert planet seen today.
Each probe, named Blue and Gold, is about the size of a carry-on suitcase and powered by solar panels. They carry instruments such as magnetometers and plasma analyzers to measure the interaction between charged particles from the sun and Mars’ thin atmosphere. By flying in different orbits, the two will give scientists simultaneous readings from multiple points around the planet.
The mission focuses on the effect of the solar wind, the constant flow of charged particles from the sun. On Earth, a strong global magnetic field deflects most of these particles, but Mars has only weak, patchy magnetic fields. As a result, the solar wind directly hits the atmosphere, knocking particles into space.
NASA has studied this process before with the MAVEN mission, launched in 2014, which first mapped how solar wind affects Mars. ESCAPADE adds another dimension by providing two vantage points at once, allowing researchers to track changes in real time. The goal is to learn how quickly the atmosphere escapes and how that process shapes climate and habitability.
The New Glenn rocket carrying the probes is a heavy-lift vehicle capable of hauling more than 45 tons into low Earth orbit. It runs on methane fuel and is designed for reuse, with the first stage returning to land after launch. This will be the rocket’s second flight, a major milestone for Blue Origin as it builds up its launch record. A hotfire test is expected in the coming weeks.
NASA’s Heliophysics Division is funding the mission, which ties into research on how the sun affects planets across the solar system. Understanding these effects is also important for planning human missions to Mars, since space weather can interfere with communications and safety during future crewed flights.
Reporters wishing to cover the launch must apply for media credentials by October 13. NASA is posting updates on its ESCAPADE mission blog ahead of the launch.
