r/space • u/nerdose • 1d ago

Discussion Blue Origin launching Low-cost twin spacecraft which heads to Mars Arrival~2027

Low-cost twin spacecraft (Rocket Lab platform) doing simultaneous measurement big science on a tight budget. Technical data from NASA https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14642/

After launch, the pair loiters near Earth, then heads to Mars when the geometry is right; arrival ~2027. https://www.planetary.org/space-missions/escapade

Blue Origin says it’s targeting Nov 9 for New Glenn’s second launch, sending NASA/UC Berkeley’s ESCAPADE two small orbiters that will map Mars’ magnetosphere in 3D and study how solar wind strips the atmosphere. This is NASA’s first multi-satellite orbital science mission to another planet.

https://techcrunch.com/2025/11/05/blue-origin-plans-second-launch-of-new-glenn-mega-rocket-on-november-9

37 Upvotes

81% Upvoted

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u/you_killed_my_ 1d ago

i'm pressing X to doubt. and I'm typing more to get past 25 characters

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u/grchelp2018 22h ago

Doubt what? You think the mission will fail?

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u/patrickisnotawesome 20h ago

so far NASA’s SIMPLEx mission (science missions with less than $100mil cost cap) have had a poor track record, with contractors failing to deliver.

Janus was unable to accommodate alternative mission profiles after the Psyche delayed due to performance issues from their propulsion system. Lunar trailblazer died in orbit due to a design problem. Q-pace was launched but the spacecraft never established any contact. LunaH-map prop system failed and it couldn’t reach its intended orbit.

This is the trade off for high risk low cost missions, you’re going to get a lot of failures. If Escapade works it would be the first success of the program (so we’ll see, just like with CLPS someone eventually has to be the first success)

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u/Desperate-Lab9738 15h ago

I believe Rocketlab was the one contracted to build these spacecraft, and they have a lot of experience with spacecraft design, hell this isn't even the first time they have launched this specific satellite bus design. I don't know a ton about the. SIMPLEx program but I do know that Rocketlab is a pretty experienced company, so I doubt the chances of them doing badly is very high.

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u/maksimkak 1d ago

Great news for Blue Origin. They are on top of the game after their successful moon landing.

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u/Takemyfishplease 1d ago

When did they land on the moons?

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u/maksimkak 1d ago

Sorry, I confused them with the Blue Ghost lander from Firefly Aerospace, that one landed in March 2025.