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NASA has made the difficult decision to remove the ESCAPADE smallsats from the first maiden flight of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket. This move comes as a result of concerns about the rocket’s readiness and the need to ensure that the mission proceeds smoothly without any major setbacks.
The ESCAPADE mission was set to launch in mid-October on New Glenn’s inaugural voyage from Cape Canaveral, Florida. However, NASA decided to suspend pre-launch preparations for the twin Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE) smallsats on September 6, more than a month before the scheduled launch date.
The main issue that led to this decision was the difficulty of removing the spacecraft’s propellants, hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide, in the event of a launch delay. NASA determined that it would be too risky to proceed with fuelling the spacecraft without knowing for sure if New Glenn would be able to launch in October.
According to Bradley Smith, director of NASA Headquarters Launch Services Office, the decision was made in order to avoid potential financial, scheduling, and technical problems that could arise from trying to withdraw fuel from the spacecraft in the event of a delay. It was crucial for NASA to have enough margin in their pre-launch work to ensure that they were ready to launch within the tight planetary window.
While this decision may have delayed the ESCAPADE mission, NASA remains committed to launching the smallsats in the future. They have indicated that ESCAPADE may have another opportunity to launch on New Glenn in early 2025. However, the exact timing of this launch and when the spacecraft will reach Mars on this alternate trajectory have not been revealed.
Despite the setback, NASA officials are optimistic about the future of the ESCAPADE mission. Nicky Fox, NASA assistant administrator for science, expressed her support for the decision and her excitement about seeing the mission successfully launched to Mars. Blue Origin also echoed this sentiment, stating that they look forward to the flight of ESCAPADE in the spring of 2025.
In addition to the ESCAPADE mission, Blue Origin has plans to launch other payloads on New Glenn in the coming months. The company announced that the maiden flight of New Glenn will carry an unnamed Blue Ring orbital transfer vehicle technology and will be its first Space Force National Security Space Launch program certification launch. The second New Glenn mission, originally scheduled for December, will now take place in November. However, Blue Origin has not disclosed the payload or the specific timeline for this launch.
Despite these changes, Blue Origin is not expected to face any significant delays beyond adjusting the payloads for the upcoming missions. The top stage of the rocket will undergo static-fire testing on the pad in early September, with the rollout potentially being delayed until early November. The company remains focused on ensuring that New Glenn is ready for its upcoming missions and is working diligently to address any challenges that may arise.
