Escapade Spacecraft Leave Loiter Orbits, Head To Mars

The twin Escapade satellites, which reached orbit Nov. 13, 2025

The twin Escapade satellites, which reached orbit Nov. 13, 2025, began independent journeys to Mars on Nov. 7 and Nov. 9, 2026.

Credit: Kim Shiftlett/NASA
A pair of small science satellites that have been loitering near Earth for almost a year fired their maneuvering engines to begin independent, 10-month cruises to Mars. The two-spacecraft Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (Escapade) mission marked the first powered flybys of...
Irene Klotz

Irene Klotz is Senior Space Editor for Aviation Week, based in Cape Canaveral. Before joining Aviation Week in 2017, Irene spent 25 years as a wire service reporter covering human and robotic spaceflight, commercial space, astronomy, science and technology for Reuters and United Press International.

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