Overview
- New Glenn lifted off at 3:55 p.m. ET from Cape Canaveral carrying NASA’s twin ESCAPADE probes to study Mars’ upper atmosphere and magnetosphere.
- The first stage touched down upright on the ocean platform Jacklyn about 600 kilometers offshore, marking New Glenn’s first successful recovery after a failed attempt in January.
- Following deployment, the spacecraft are heading to an Earth–Sun L2 parking orbit to await a late‑2026 transfer and are expected to arrive at Mars in 2027.
- ESCAPADE is a SIMPLEx small‑mission effort designed to cut costs, with a budget reported at under roughly $100 million, far below typical Mars orbiter programs.
- The flight came after weather delays and a powerful solar storm earlier in the week, highlighting operational risks as Blue Origin gains credibility in a field where only SpaceX had routinely recovered orbital‑class boosters.