Why NASA’s Twin ESCAPADE Spacecraft Will Swing Past Earth on Their Way to Mars

Source checked 4 November 2026. NASA says its two Mars-bound ESCAPADE spacecraft are preparing for powered flybys past Earth. The agency describes the manoeuvre as a first for its spacecraft.

A powered flyby combines a pass by a planet with an engine burn. This is a navigation milestone on the way to Mars. Readers following the mission should distinguish the pre-manoeuvre plan from NASA’s later confirmation that each spacecraft completed the planned burn and is on the expected trajectory.

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