The two ESCAPADE probes, launched by NASA in November 2025, are beginning their transit to Mars after spending nearly a year near the L2 Lagrange point. This waiting period was designed to optimize the trajectory and minimize fuel consumption.
The mission now enters a critical phase involving gravity-assist maneuvers around Earth. The first probe will perform its flyby on November 7, followed by the second on November 9. During each maneuver, the spacecraft will fire their engines for nine minutes.
These engine burns will increase the velocity of the probes from 10.1 km/s to 10.8 km/s, adjusting their flight paths toward Mars. If the maneuvers proceed as planned, the probes are expected to reach the planet on September 7 and September 9, 2027.
The primary scientific goal of the ESCAPADE mission is to study how solar wind interacts with the Martian magnetic field and atmosphere. Researchers aim to gather data on the mechanisms behind atmospheric loss and ongoing environmental changes on Mars.
