New Glenn to launch NASA Mars mission this week

New Glenn to Launch NASA Mars Mission This Week

On November 9, Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket will embark on its second mission, carrying NASA’s ESCAPADE probes to Mars. This event marks the rocket’s first operational flight dedicated to a NASA science payload following its debut launch in January.

Mission Details

The New Glenn heavy-lift rocket is scheduled to lift off from Space Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station no earlier than Sunday, November 9. The mission will transport two small identical satellites known as ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers).

“The twin probes, nicknamed ‘Blue’ and ‘Gold,’ were built by Rocket Lab and are part of NASA’s Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx) program.”

Scientific Objectives

Upon reaching Mars, the two satellites will enter complementary orbits to investigate Mars' magnetosphere. The mission aims to reveal how the solar wind interacts with the Martian atmosphere, contributing to atmospheric loss over time.

“This dual-satellite view will give scientists a real-time, 3D picture of atmospheric escape, helping to solve the puzzle of how Mars lost its ancient, watery climate.”

Other Notable Launches This Week

Europe’s Sentinel-1D satellite
United Launch Alliance’s deployment of the large ViaSat-3 F2 satellite
Several missions by SpaceX and China

Technical Update

The 321-foot-tall (98-meter) New Glenn rocket recently completed a successful static fire test of its seven BE-4 engines in October, preparing it for this upcoming mission.

Summary: Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket will soon launch NASA’s ESCAPADE twin probes to Mars, aiming to study atmospheric loss and the planet’s magnetosphere with a novel dual-satellite approach.

Astronomy Magazine — 2025-11-04