Two identical NASA satellites are set to launch this weekend to help unravel how Mars lost its atmosphere and liquid water – one of its oldest mysteries and the key to understanding how the once habitable world turned into the desert it is today.
As early as Sunday (Nov. 9), the $80 million ESCAPADE mission, which will launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, will send two twin probes, Blue and Gold, into orbit around Mars. The mission is NASA’s first dual-satellite mission to another planet and aims to Create a 3D image of how the solar wind fills and drains Mars’ atmospherei.e. the flow of charged particles from the Sun.
Geological evidence from ancient river valleys and water-formed minerals show that Mars once had liquid water, meaning it also had a much denser atmosphere. But about 4 billion years ago, the planet’s magnetic field began to weaken and the solar wind slowly carried away the Martian atmosphere.
After they reach Mars in September 2027, they will spend about seven months fine-tuning their orbit before flying in formation and approaching within 100 miles (160 kilometers) of the surface. If all goes according to plan, after six months of joint observation, they will be in separate orbits for another five months to create a 3D map.
