NASA’s twin ESCAPADE spacecraft have each completed a powered Earth flyby, the first on Nov. 7 and the second on Nov. 9, 2026, and the agency states they are on target to reach the Red Planet in September 2027 (NASA). Each spacecraft used Earth’s gravity in combination with a sustained engine burn to slingshot toward Mars (NASA). The agency announced that the flybys set both spacecraft on course for a 10-month cruise, ending with Mars orbit insertion burns planned for Sept. 7 and Sept. 9, 2027 (NASA).
Promised vs. Status Now
| Item | Promised | Status now | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arrival at Mars | On target to reach Mars in September 2027 | Both powered Earth flybys complete | NASA |
| Orbit insertion | Burns planned for Sept. 7 and Sept. 9, 2027 | 10-month cruise to Mars under way | NASA |
| First flyby | Close approach and burn of about 9 minutes | Completed 5 a.m. EST on Nov. 7 at about 1,000 miles up | NASA |
| Second flyby | Close approach and burn | Completed 6 a.m. EST on Nov. 9 at about 650 miles up | NASA |
| Science operations | Expected to begin in June 2028 | Some observations taken during the loiter orbit | NASA |
Timeline
- 2025-11-13: The two ESCAPADE spacecraft launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida (NASA).
- 2026-11-07: The first spacecraft completed its close approach and trans-Mars injection burn (NASA).
- 2026-11-09: The second spacecraft completed its close approach and engine burn (NASA).
- 2027-09-07: Planned Mars orbit insertion burn (NASA).
- 2027-09-09: Planned Mars orbit insertion burn (NASA).
Details (as Reported)
The spacecraft launched when Earth and Mars were on opposite sides of the Sun, so both entered a loiter or Earth-proximity orbit instead of heading straight for Mars (NASA). They followed a kidney-bean-shaped course around Lagrange point 2, about a million miles from Earth, then returned to Earth for the slingshot once Earth and Mars were favorably aligned (NASA).
Asal Naseri, acting associate flight director for the Heliophysics Division, stated that this is the first time NASA has used a powered Earth flyby to propel a spacecraft toward Mars, and that the maneuver was executed twice in two days (NASA). Jeff Parker of Advanced Space, the lead mission designer, described the method as one that allows a launch almost anytime instead of every two years when the planets are aligned (NASA).
During the cruise the spacecraft will perform a series of trajectory correction maneuvers to stay on a precise course for Mars (NASA). At Mars, each spacecraft will fire its engine for about 11 minutes to enter orbit, two days apart (NASA). The mission is funded by NASA’s Heliophysics Division and is part of the SIMPLEx program, and the University of California, Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory leads it with partners including Rocket Lab and Blue Origin (NASA).
What Is Not Yet Confirmed
- The Mars orbit insertion burns are planned for Sept. 7 and Sept. 9, 2027, and have not yet taken place (NASA).
- The spacecraft will take several months after arrival to maneuver into their first science formation, and science operations are expected to begin in June 2028 (NASA).
- Six months later the spacecraft are scheduled to shift into different orbits for a science campaign of five months (NASA).