Escapade Spacecraft Leave Loiter Orbits, Head To Mars | Aviation Week

https://aviationweek.com/themes/custom/particle/dist/app-drupal/assets/AW_logo_horizontal_small_white.svg

Irene Klotz
November 10, 2026

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.

Subscription Required

 

Escapade Spacecraft Leave Loiter Orbits, Head To Mars is published in Aerospace Daily & Defense Report, an Aviation Week Intelligence Network (AWIN) Market Briefing and is included with your AWIN membership.

Already a member of AWIN or subscribe to Aerospace Daily & Defense Report through your company? Login with your existing email and password.

Not a member?  Learn how you can access the market intelligence and data you need to stay abreast of what’s happening in the aerospace and defense community.