Humanity has embarked on a new mission to Mars with the launch of NASA’s twin probes, known as ESCAPADE, on November 13, 2023. This marks the first mission to Mars in over five years, although the probes will not reach the Red Planet until September 2027. Instead, they will initially travel to the sun-Earth Lagrange Point 2 (L2), a stable gravitational location approximately 930,000 miles (1.5 million kilometers) from Earth.
The ESCAPADE probes were launched aboard Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, the second flight for this powerful vehicle. This mission follows the launch of NASA’s Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter on July 30, 2020. The strategic decision to send ESCAPADE to L2 is due to the alignment of Earth and Mars for efficient interplanetary travel, which occurs every 26 months. The next opportunity for such a journey will not present itself until late 2026.
During their year at L2, the ESCAPADE probes will conduct studies of space weather in the region before making a gravitational return to Earth. This maneuver will enhance their speed as they head towards Mars. Jeffrey Parker from Advanced Space LLC, one of NASA’s partners in the $80 million mission, highlighted the significance of this approach, stating, “Can we launch to Mars when the planets are not aligned? ESCAPADE is paving the way for that.”
Probes Designed for Enhanced Data Collection
Managed by the University of California, Berkeley, the ESCAPADE mission involves two identical spacecraft named Blue and Gold, in reference to the university’s colors. The journey to Mars from L2 is expected to take about ten months, with the probes arriving in Mars orbit in September 2027. Following their arrival, they will spend an additional seven months synchronizing their orbits around Mars.
Principal investigator Robert Lillis from UC Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory explained, “That’s important scientifically because it lets us monitor the short timescale variability of the system.” The probes will be positioned to follow each other closely, allowing them to gather data on atmospheric conditions in quick succession. This capability enables monitoring of changes on timescales as short as two minutes, a significant advancement compared to previous missions.
Both probes are equipped with sophisticated instruments, including a visible-light and infrared camera system, a magnetometer, an electrostatic analyzer, and a Langmuir probe for measuring plasma properties. Over the course of their mission, they will map Mars’ upper atmosphere and magnetic fields, providing critical insights into how the planet lost its atmosphere and the conditions that could impact future human exploration.
As the mission progresses, the team at UC Berkeley will be patient, understanding that the data collection process is inherently slow. Space scientists are accustomed to waiting for results, but the potential findings from the ESCAPADE mission promise to enhance our understanding of Mars and its environment significantly.
Through innovative methods and strategic planning, NASA’s ESCAPADE mission marks a new chapter in the exploration of Mars, potentially setting the stage for future missions and deepening our understanding of the Red Planet’s atmosphere.
