New Glenn to Launch NASA Mars Mission This Week
Starting November 9, Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket is scheduled for its second flight, carrying NASA’s ESCAPADE mission to Mars. This marks the vehicle’s first operational launch for a NASA science payload since its debut earlier this year.
Mission Overview
The New Glenn heavy-lift rocket will lift off from Space Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, no earlier than Sunday, November 9. The 321-foot-tall (98-meter) rocket recently completed a static fire test of its seven BE-4 engines on October – a final step before flight readiness.
About the ESCAPADE Mission
ESCAPADE, short for Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers, includes two identical small satellites built by Rocket Lab under NASA’s Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx) program. The twin probes, nicknamed “Blue” and “Gold,” will travel together to Mars to conduct detailed magnetosphere studies.
Scientific Goals
The mission aims to reveal how solar wind impacts the Martian atmosphere, gradually stripping it away and influencing the planet’s climate history.
By operating in complementary orbits, the probes will capture a three-dimensional view of Mars’ atmospheric escape in real time. This data could clarify how the Red Planet lost its ancient water-rich environment.
Other Upcoming Launches
- Europe's Sentinel-1D satellite mission.
- United Launch Alliance’s ViaSat-3 F2 heavy payload.
- Several additional launches by SpaceX and China.
Author’s Summary
Blue Origin’s New Glenn returns to flight this week, carrying NASA’s dual-satellite ESCAPADE mission that will explore how solar wind shapes Mars’ atmosphere.