The Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (EscaPADE) mission to Mars, slated for launch aboard Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket this October, has been postponed by NASA. The space agency cited concerns about New Glenn’s readiness for its inaugural launch, pushing the EscaPADE mission to a spring 2025 launch window.
NASA’s decision stems from the potential logistical and financial challenges associated with fueling and de-fueling the twin EscaPADE spacecraft. The delicate timing required for interplanetary missions necessitates a tight launch window, and any delays with New Glenn could have triggered a costly and complex process of removing the spacecraft’s fuel. “This is an important mission for NASA, and it’s critical we have sufficient margin in our prelaunch work to ensure we are ready to fly a tight planetary window,” explained Bradley Smith, NASA’s launch services office director.
The EscaPADE mission involves two identical probes designed to investigate the interaction between solar wind and Mars’ magnetic environment. This research aims to understand how solar wind contributes to atmospheric escape from the Red Planet. The mission’s success hinges on precise launch timing, aligning Earth and Mars for an efficient trajectory.
Blue Origin’s New Glenn, a heavy-lift rocket under development for over a decade, has faced repeated launch delays, initially targeting a 2020 debut. Challenges related to the BE-4 engine development, designed by Blue Origin, contributed significantly to these setbacks. Despite recent progress and testing, leading to NASA awarding the EscaPADE launch contract for New Glenn’s first flight, the inaugural mission will now deploy technology for Blue Origin’s Blue Ring orbital platform instead.
The precise date for New Glenn’s maiden flight remains uncertain. Reports suggest a potential delay to early November, a relatively minor adjustment compared to previous postponements, but still insufficient to accommodate the EscaPADE mission’s original timeframe. Blue Origin has affirmed its commitment to supporting the rescheduled EscaPADE launch in 2025, prioritizing the mission’s success.
Blue Origin has agreed to advance New Glenn’s second flight to align with the revised EscaPADE launch window next spring. This demonstrates their commitment to the mission and their confidence in the rocket’s future performance. “We’re supportive of NASA’s decision to target the ESCAPADE mission for no earlier than spring 2025 and look forward to the flight,” stated Blue Origin on X (formerly Twitter).
New Glenn, a partially reusable rocket, boasts a payload capacity of 45 tons to low Earth orbit (LEO) and 13 tons to geostationary orbit. While awaiting New Glenn’s debut, Blue Origin continues suborbital space tourism flights with its New Shepard rocket. The revised inaugural mission for New Glenn marks a shift in plans but underscores the ongoing development and anticipation surrounding this powerful launch vehicle.
