Cape Canaveral, Florida — November 13, 2025:
Blue Origin made spaceflight history with the successful launch of its powerful New Glenn rocket, carrying NASA’s twin ESCAPADE spacecraft on a groundbreaking mission to study Mars’ atmosphere, magnetic field, and solar-wind interactions. The mission marks a major advancement in commercial deep-space exploration and highlights New Glenn’s capability to support high-value NASA science missions.
New Glenn Rocket Launch Marks a Major Milestone
Standing an impressive 98 meters (320 feet) tall and generating more than 3.8 million pounds of thrust, the New Glenn rocket lifted off flawlessly from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral.
The mission represents New Glenn’s most significant operational flight to date and its first NASA science payload, firmly establishing Blue Origin as a major contender in heavy-lift spaceflight.
NASA ESCAPADE Mission Targets Mars Atmospheric Los
The ESCAPADE mission — Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers — consists of two identical probes, “Blue” and “Gold.”
They aim to study:
- How solar wind strips away Mars’ atmosphere
- The behavior of Mars’ magnetosphere and ionosphere
- The nature of plasma escape
- How the planet’s climate evolved over billions of years
- Space weather hazards relevant for future human missions
ESCAPADE’s dual-spacecraft design enables simultaneous, multi-point measurements — providing a 3D view of Mars’ atmospheric dynamics for the first time.
Mission Path: Loiter Orbit and Gravity Assist
Instead of traveling directly to Mars, ESCAPADE follows a unique trajectory:
- Loiter Orbit Phase:
The spacecraft will orbit near the Sun–Earth Lagrange Point L2, roughly 1.5 million km from Earth. - Earth Gravity Assist (Fall 2026):
A gravity boost will redirect the probes onto a Mars transfer trajectory. - Arrival at Mars (September 2027):
The probes will enter coordinated elliptical orbits and begin an 11-month science mission.
This advanced flight plan allows significant fuel savings and optimal alignment with Mars.
New Glenn Booster Achieves First Successful Landing
After separation, the New Glenn first stage performed a precise vertical landing on Blue Origin’s ocean platform “Jacklyn” — the rocket’s first-ever successful booster recovery.
The booster is designed for up to 25 reuses, offering long-term cost efficiency and placing New Glenn in direct competition with SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy and Starship systems.
ESCAPADE Instruments and Science Goals
Each spacecraft carries identical instruments, including:
- Fluxgate magnetometers
- Electrostatic analyzers
- Plasma analyzers
- Radiation sensors
These tools allow researchers to:
- Measure charged particle behavior
- Understand atmospheric erosion
- Observe solar wind interactions in real time
- Create the first synchronized map of Mars’ plasma environment
Launch Challenges: Weather and Solar Activity Delays
ESCAPADE’s launch endured several postponements due to:
- Cumulus cloud formation violating weather rules
- A significant solar storm that posed radiation risks to the spacecraft
Despite these challenges, mission teams from NASA and Blue Origin maintained readiness and ultimately executed a flawless launch.
Why ESCAPADE Matters for Human Mars Exploration
ESCAPADE’s findings will directly support future crewed missions to Mars, providing insights crucial for:
- Radiation protection
- Atmospheric modeling
- Communications stability
- Space weather forecasting
- Safe navigation and landing systems
This mission stands as an essential scientific bridge between today’s robotic explorers and tomorrow’s human pioneers.
