Rocket Lab announced this week that the company has successfully tested their two spacecraft destined for Mars orbit. The twin spacecraft were built for UC Berkeley’s Space Science Laboratory and NASA to enable the Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE) mission, scheduled to launch from Cape Canaveral this year.
NASA’s ESCAPADE heliophysics mission will measure plasma and magnetic fields around the Red Planet, helping researchers learn more about the processes that strip away atoms from Mars’ magnetosphere as well as upper atmosphere. The two spacecraft feature Rocket Lab-built components and subsystems, including solar panels, star trackers, propellant tanks, reaction wheels, reaction control systems, radios, and more.
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Building one Mars spacecraft is an achievement, but building two and doing it on an accelerated timeline is testament to our team’s deep experience and our vertical integration strategy. We are immensely proud to once again partner with NASA and support the UCB team to deliver new and important science from Mars,” said Sir Peter Beck, Rocket Lab founder and CEO.
