Rocket Lab's twin NASA spacecraft complete burns setting course for Mars
RKLB•Rocket Lab’s twin ESCAPADE spacecraft completed trans-Mars injection burns on Nov. 7 and Nov. 9, 2026, setting course for Mars with overall burn accuracy above 99%. Mars orbit insertion is scheduled for September 2027.
1. Burns complete
Rocket Lab’s twin ESCAPADE spacecraft, Blue and Gold, completed trans-Mars injection burns on Nov. 7 and Nov. 9, 2026. Each spacecraft autonomously sustained an approximately 10-minute engine firing, with final attitude error below 1 degree.
2. Mission timeline
The spacecraft achieved well above 99% overall burn accuracy. Mars orbit insertion is scheduled for September 2027, and transition to the first science formation begins in 2028. The NASA mission will study how solar wind strips ions from Mars’ upper atmosphere, informing atmospheric research and future human exploration.
