ESCAPADE plans Gold's close passage by Earth
· BehindLines newsroom
Before Mars comes a rendezvous with Earth (Terre): the Gold spacecraft of the ESCAPADE mission is due to pass close to our planet on 9 November 2026. The schedule presented by NASA combines Earth's gravitational pull with an engine firing. The aim is to leave on a trajectory towards Mars.
The mission consists of two spacecraft, Blue and Gold. Blue's passage was scheduled for 7 November, with Gold following two days later. These dates come from announcements issued before the manoeuvres; they do not confirm that either passage has taken place.
A flyby accompanied by an engine burn
A gravity assist uses a close passage by a planet to change a spacecraft's trajectory. In this case, an engine burn lasting about nine minutes is planned as well. The engine fires at the closest approach to Earth, providing an additional impulse for the journey.
Advanced Space, a mission partner responsible for trajectory design and navigation, published animations on 6 November showing the two spacecraft's planned paths. These charts describe calculated geometry; they are not images demonstrating that the passages have happened.
Two measuring points around Mars
The scientific destination is the magnetic environment of Mars. The two spacecraft are intended to help explain how the solar wind interacts with Mars and how material escapes from its atmosphere. Measurements from two spacecraft will allow this environment to be examined from different positions.
Arrival is announced for September 2027. It remains a future stage, following the Earth manoeuvre and the interplanetary journey. NASA says the teams will need several days after the engine burns to assess the precision of the departure towards Mars, and can then adjust the trajectories during the cruise.
Sources: NASA, Advanced Space and EarthSky, listed in the references above.