Rocket Lab's Mars Smallsats Reach Florida Launch Site

Rocket Lab's smallsats for NASA's Mars mission have arrived in Florida. They are set to launch this fall on the first flight of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket.

NASA's Launch Services Program confirmed on Twitter on August 18 that the twin spacecraft, known as the Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE), are prepared for pre-launch activities. These satellites will examine the solar wind's impact on the Martian magnetosphere. The spacecraft were transported from Rocket Lab's Long Beach, California, factory a few days prior.

The ESCAPADE spacecraft is scheduled to launch to Mars this fall on New Glenn's inaugural flight. Unlike previous Mars missions, NASA and partner organizations have yet to disclose a precise launch date. However, industry insights suggest an October launch, pending New Glenn's readiness.

Rocket Lab's team will conduct final pre-launch processing over three weeks. Christophe Mandy, the lead systems engineer, detailed during an August 9 media tour that this phase includes performance tests and loading the spacecraft with nitrogen, helium, and propellants. Mandy emphasized, "Once all that is done, we’re ready."

New Glenn will place the ESCAPADE spacecraft into a larger Earth orbit. From there, the crafts will use their thrusters to voyage to Mars. Mandy remarked this trajectory avoids critical burns except for the Mars orbit insertion (MOI) about 11 months after launch.

Initially, Rocket Lab tackled the ESCAPADE design without knowing the launch vehicle. NASA excluded ESCAPADE from the Psyche mission’s secondary payload, later selecting New Glenn through the Venture-class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) contract in February 2023. Mandy stated, "We aimed to allow NASA a broader range of launch options," despite complicating design specifications.

"Creating comprehensive requirements for various launch vehicles proves challenging," he noted. The broad requirements complicated processes but aligned well with NASA's low-cost mission aspirations.

Each spacecraft weighs 524 kilograms, with only eight kilograms dedicated to the science payload. Approximately 70% of each spacecraft's mass consists of propellant.

These constraints significantly impacted the spacecraft's design. "Our focus is uncompromising efficiency," Mandy explained. "Every component is necessary, optimized to forge effective synergies."

The ESCAPADE leverages various Rocket Lab components like electronics boxes and solar panels. However, it employs an engine from ArianeGroup. Mandy highlighted their priority for mission success over in-house engine development, stating, "We selected proven, stable engines designed for long-duration missions."

Developing ESCAPADE was notably swift, with a timeline of three and a half years for two Mars satellites, in sharp contrast to the usual ten-year schedule for similar missions.

Rocket Lab is applying insights gained from ESCAPADE to its expanding space systems division. They are in the final stages of building two satellites for Varda Space Industries and collaborating with MDA Space on 17 satellites for Globalstar's next-gen constellation. The firm is also constructing 18 Transport Layer Tranche 2 Beta satellites for the Space Development Agency. One key takeaway involved supply chain difficulties for some components, prompting a shift toward in-house production.

The architecture of the ESCAPADE spacecraft may inform future missions. "Our high capability enables us to propose utilizing this design for additional interplanetary missions as well as high-energy maneuvers around Earth," Mandy concluded.

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