NASA Delays ESCAPADE Mission Aboard New Glenn

NASA has made the decision to remove its ESCAPADE (Explorer Studies in Polar Cap Acceleration and Dynamics) mission from the inaugural launch of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket. The agency cited technical challenges and a need for additional testing as the reasons for the postponement.

“The decision was made to avoid significant cost, schedule, and technical challenges associated with potentially removing fuel from the spacecraft in the event of a launch delay, which could be caused by a number of factors,” NASA stated.

The ESCAPADE mission, designed to study the acceleration of particles in Earth's polar caps, was originally scheduled to be one of the payloads aboard the New Glenn rocket on its maiden flight. However, NASA officials determined that additional testing and analysis were necessary to ensure the mission's success and to address potential technical issues.

We’re committed to seeing ESCAPADE safely into space, and I look forward to seeing it off the ground and on its trip to Mars,” said Nicky Fox, NASA associate administrator for science, in a statement.

“We’re supportive of NASA’s decision to target the ESCAPADE mission for no earlier than spring 2025 and look forward to the flight,” Blue Origin said in a statement.

While the postponement is disappointing, NASA remains committed to the ESCAPADE mission and is working diligently to find a suitable alternative launch opportunity. The agency is exploring options with other launch providers and is confident that the mission will eventually be launched.

The decision to remove ESCAPADE from the New Glenn launch comes as Blue Origin continues to prepare for its historic maiden flight. The company has faced several delays in recent years, but remains optimistic about the prospects of its new rocket.