WASHINGTON : The two spacecraft, part of NASA’s ESCAPADE mission, successfully performed gravity-assisted manoeuvres using Earth’s gravitational pull to increase their speed and redirect their trajectory towards the Red Planet.
According to NASA, the spacecraft also fired their engines for approximately nine minutes to enter the designated flight path for their journey to Mars, which is expected to take around ten months.
The agency said the successful manoeuvres demonstrate a new approach to interplanetary travel, offering greater flexibility in launching missions without having to wait for the ideal alignment of Earth and Mars, which occurs approximately every 26 months.
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The twin spacecraft are expected to reach Mars in September 2027, with scientific operations scheduled to begin in June 2028.
Once operational, the spacecraft will enter two separate orbits around Mars, allowing scientists to conduct simultaneous observations and study how solar winds interact with the planet’s atmosphere.
The findings are expected to provide valuable insights into the processes responsible for atmospheric loss on Mars and contribute to preparations for future human exploration missions.
The ESCAPADE spacecraft were launched in November 2025 from Cape Canaveral, Florida, as part of NASA’s efforts to better understand the Martian space environment and the impact of solar winds on the planet’s atmosphere.
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