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NASA has made the tough decision to remove ESCAPADE from Blue Origin’s New Glenn’s maiden flight launch in October. This news came as a surprise to many as the smallsats, Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers, were originally scheduled to be launched on New Glenn’s first voyage from Cape Canaveral, Florida, between October 13-21. However, NASA decided to suspend pre-launch preparations for ESCAPADE on September 6, citing concerns about the rocket’s readiness.
The decision to remove ESCAPADE from the launch was made more than a month before the scheduled launch date, as NASA was not able to delay the fueling of the spacecraft with hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide propellants. The agency was faced with the challenge of determining whether New Glenn would be able to launch in October or face major financial, scheduling, and technical issues associated with potentially withdrawing fuel from the spacecraft in the event of a launch delay.
It was noted that Blue Origin expected New Glenn to launch within the nine-day mid-October window, but there were still significant tasks to be completed in testing and assembling the rocket. Given the complexities of removing the propellants if New Glenn missed the October launch window, NASA wanted to ensure they had enough time for pre-launch work before fueling the ship. “This is an important mission for NASA, and it’s critical we have sufficient margin in our prelaunch work to ensure we are ready to fly a tight planetary window,” said Bradley Smith, NASA Headquarters Launch Services Office director.
Despite the setback, NASA expressed their commitment to launching ESCAPADE on New Glenn in early 2025. It was not disclosed when the spacecraft would reach Mars on this alternate track, as it would be outside the traditional Mars launch window that closes in two years. ESCAPADE is a low-cost mission designed to explore the Martian magnetosphere and solar wind, and NASA remains dedicated to seeing it safely into space. “We’re committed to seeing ESCAPADE safely into space, and I look forward to seeing it off the ground and on its trip to Mars,” said Nicky Fox, NASA assistant administrator for science.
Blue Origin also voiced their support for NASA’s decision to target the ESCAPADE mission for launch in spring 2025. The company stated that they are looking forward to the flight and are optimistic about the future of the mission. Blue Origin had plans for New Glenn’s maiden flight to carry their Blue Ring orbital transfer vehicle technology and to be the first Space Force National Security Space Launch program certification launch. The launch has been rescheduled for November instead of December on the second New Glenn mission, with the payload and timetable for the second launch yet to be announced.
It was reported that Blue Origin was not expected to encounter significant delays in launch preparations beyond the changes in payload. The top stage of the rocket is set to undergo static-fire testing on the pad in early September, with the rollout possibly delayed until early November. Despite the challenges faced by NASA and Blue Origin, there is optimism for the future of the ESCAPADE mission and the continued progress of the New Glenn rocket program.
