NASA's twin ESCAPADE probes are preparing for a powered flyby of Earth that will send both spacecraft on a trajectory toward Mars. The maneuver combines the pull of Earth's gravity with a firing of the spacecraft's engines, a standard way for deep-space missions to reshape their paths without carrying all the fuel needed for the full journey.
The first probe is scheduled to perform its flyby and engine burn at around 5 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on Saturday, November 7. The second spacecraft follows two days later, so the pair will make the same close pass by Earth on staggered timelines rather than together.
Once on their Mars-bound course, the probes are designed to study the planet's upper atmosphere and how it interacts with the solar wind, the stream of charged particles flowing from the Sun. Understanding that interaction helps scientists learn how Mars lost much of its original atmosphere over time, a question central to understanding how the planet evolved.
The outcome of the maneuvers is not yet certain. Mission details released so far do not confirm whether the engine burns will go exactly as planned or how precisely each probe's trajectory will match its target. Any shortfall would be assessed as the spacecraft continue their journey.
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