NASA is preparing to launch a pioneering mission featuring two identical satellites designed to unravel one of the most enduring mysteries of Mars: how the Red Planet lost its once-thick atmosphere and surface water. The mission, named ESCAPADE, aims to provide an unprecedented 3D view of this atmospheric loss.
Scheduled for liftoff this weekend aboard a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, the twin spacecraft will work in tandem to study the interaction between the solar wind and the Martian atmosphere. This dual-satellite approach marks a first for NASA in interplanetary exploration.
Key Takeaways
- NASA's ESCAPADE mission will send two identical satellites, Blue and Gold, to Mars.
- The primary goal is to understand how the solar wind stripped away Mars' ancient atmosphere.
- This is NASA's first dual-satellite mission to another planet, offering a unique "stereo" perspective.
- The $80 million mission is set to launch this weekend and will arrive at Mars in September 2027.
- Data collected will be crucial for understanding Martian climate history and planning future human exploration.
A Mission to Solve an Ancient Mystery
Billions of years ago, Mars was a very different world. Geological evidence from dried-up river valleys and water-formed minerals strongly suggests the planet once hosted liquid water on its surface. This would have required a much denser atmosphere than the thin layer present today, which is less than 1% as thick as Earth's.
Scientists believe that around 4 billion years ago, Mars lost its protective global magnetic field. Without this shield, a constant stream of charged particles from the sun, known as the solar wind, began to erode the planet's atmosphere, transforming it into the cold, arid desert we see now.
The Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE) mission is designed to investigate this process in detail. By using two spacecraft, scientists can gather simultaneous data from different locations, a significant advance over previous single-orbiter missions.
"To understand how the solar wind drives different kinds of atmospheric escape is a key piece of the puzzle of the climate evolution of Mars," explained Robert Lillis, the mission's principal investigator from the University of California, Berkeley. "ESCAPADE gives us what you might call a stereo perspective ā two different vantage points simultaneously."
Innovative Approach and Technology
The mission's twin probes, nicknamed Blue and Gold, are each about the size of a copy machine. After their launch, they are expected to reach Mars in September 2027. The spacecraft will then spend approximately seven months adjusting their orbits before beginning their coordinated scientific observations.
A New Path to Mars
ESCAPADE is also pioneering a new, more flexible travel route. Instead of a direct trajectory, the satellites will first travel to a gravitationally stable point between the Earth and the sun, known as a Lagrange point. After about a year, they will use a gravitational slingshot maneuver in 2026 to head toward Mars. This longer journey reduces dependency on the narrow, once-every-two-years launch window for Mars, potentially benefiting future interplanetary missions.
Once in position, the satellites will fly in formation, described as a "pair of pearls on a string," coming as close as 160 kilometers (100 miles) to the Martian surface. This dual perspective will allow researchers to observe changes in the atmosphere on timescales as short as two minutes, providing a dynamic view of atmospheric escape that was previously impossible.
A Suite of Coordinated Instruments
Each satellite carries an identical set of instruments designed to work together to create a comprehensive picture of the Martian environment.
- Electrostatic Analyzers: Built at UC Berkeley, these will measure charged particles escaping the atmosphere, determining their energy and direction to see if they are falling back to the planet or being carried away by the solar wind.
- Magnetometer: Provided by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, this instrument will map the strength and direction of Mars' localized magnetic fields.
- Plasma Sensors: Developed by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, these will analyze the properties of plasma in the upper atmosphere.
- Cameras: Student-built cameras from Northern Arizona University will capture images of the planet and may even spot the faint green auroras that occur on Mars.
Mission by the Numbers
- Cost: $80 million
- Spacecraft: 2 identical probes
- Arrival at Mars: September 2027
- Science Operations Duration: Approximately 11 months
- Closest Approach to Surface: 160 km (100 miles)
Implications for Future Exploration
The data gathered by ESCAPADE will not only shed light on Mars' past but will also be vital for its future. A detailed understanding of the planet's upper atmosphere, or ionosphere, is crucial for planning human missions. Radio waves on Mars can bounce off the ionosphere to communicate beyond the horizon, so knowing how this layer behaves is essential for reliable communication and navigation for future astronauts.
Furthermore, the mission could provide clues about one of the most compelling questions for future explorers: whether liquid water still exists underground. By understanding the processes that stripped water from the surface, scientists can better model where it might have gone.
The 11-month science phase will focus on three primary objectives: mapping the shape of Mars' residual magnetic fields, understanding how solar energy interacts with them, and measuring the resulting flow of atmospheric particles. This comprehensive study promises to fill critical gaps in our knowledge of how habitable worlds can change over time.