Dual Satellite Mission to Another Planet Hints at a New Era in Space Exploration
In a first-of-its-kind venture, a double satellite mission is set to take off, aiming for Mars. The mission named ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) will send two identical spacecraft to the Red Planet, managed and operated by a prestigious university located in California. The spacecraft, affectionately named Blue and Gold, will map the planet’s magnetic fields, upper atmosphere, and ionosphere in 3D, offering an unprecedented stereo view of Mars' unique space environment.
The Significance of the Mission
The findings from this mission will offer critical insights into how and when Mars lost its atmosphere. This is vital for understanding the conditions on Mars that might impact future human inhabitants. The variations in the ionosphere, for instance, need to be understood since they can distort radio signals. These signals are vital for communication and navigation on Mars, making this research crucial.
Arrival and Operation
The twin satellites are expected to reach Mars by 2027. They will be controlled from a mission operations center located above the California university campus. The science tools, deployable booms, and data processing computers were constructed by the university and its partners. The spacecraft were built by a company based out of Long Beach, California, while a company in Kent, Washington built the rocket that will carry the mission into space.
Understanding Mars' Magnetic Fields
Mars lacks both a global magnetic field like Earth's and a dense atmosphere to safeguard the surface from harmful solar storms. Therefore, humans living on Mars' surface will need to protect themselves from high-energy particle radiation that increases the risk of cancer. The twin satellites will help scientists understand the planet's magnetic fields and their response to space weather, which could be crucial in protecting future Mars inhabitants.
Innovative Route to Mars
In addition to its primary goals, ESCAPADE will pioneer a new trajectory to Mars. Until now, missions to Mars have used a specific route that's cost and fuel-efficient, but it restricts launches to a short window every 26 months. ESCAPADE will take a different path, heading first to a point where the sun and Earth's gravitational pull balance each other. This new trajectory could enable a flexible launch schedule, accommodating numerous spacecraft during every alignment, a need that might arise if large-scale human settlement on Mars becomes a reality.
The Scientific Goals
Probes built by the California university have been studying Mars for almost six decades, revealing its atmosphere, magnetic fields, and space weather to understand the planet's evolution. Current ongoing missions continue to monitor Mars' atmosphere and discover new types of aurora. ESCAPADE will build on this work with its two probes, which will fly in different orbits around Mars, offering a 3D view of how the Martian atmosphere responds to changes in the solar wind. This could help scientists understand what happened to the water that once filled Mars' lakes and rivers, and whether it's still available underground for future Mars colonists.
A New Approach to Space Exploration
This mission, which has been in the works since 2016, signifies a new approach to space exploration. It embraces lower costs, increased commercial involvement, and a higher risk tolerance. The reliability of individual components and subsystems has improved, making it possible to send two spacecraft to Mars at a fraction of what it would have cost a decade or so ago. This mission is scheduled to launch on a new trajectory to Mars, demonstrating the flexibility and potential of this new approach to space exploration.
The Challenge of Human Settlement on Mars
While the prospect of human settlement on Mars is exciting, it's also fraught with challenges. Mars' extremely low atmospheric pressure means blood would boil without a pressure suit, and inhabitants would likely have to live and work underground to minimize exposure to cosmic radiation. However, humans are known for their tenacity, and these challenges might not deter the pursuit of space colonization.