| Astrophysics (Index) | About |
ESCAPADE (for Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) is a NASA mission to Mars to study its magnetosphere and space weather. The mission belongs to a relatively-new NASA program, SIMPLEx (for Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration). ESCAPADE consists of two Mars orbiters, that were launched November 13, 2025, sharing a launch rocket. They immediately separated and were directed to Earth-Sun Lagrangian point L2 where they are remaining until a Mars launch window becomes available in late 2026. In the mean time, they are taking data on the interplanetary medium and solar wind. Their trips from L2 to Mars will last 11 months, beginning with Earth gravity assists. Normal operation in Mars orbit will begin in 2028. The individual orbiters, named Blue (SIMPLEx-4A) and Gold (SIMPLEx-4B), are identical. Instruments: