NASA Launches Twin Spacecraft to Solve Mystery of Mars' Lost Atmosphere

ESCAPADE mission aims to watch the solar wind strip away Mars' atmosphere over time.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 2:33am

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NASA has launched the ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) mission, a pair of spacecraft that will study how the Sun's solar wind has gradually eroded Mars' atmosphere over billions of years, transforming the once warmer, wetter planet into the frozen desert we see today. The mission's scientific instruments will help researchers understand the processes that allowed the Martian atmosphere to slowly leak into space, which could inform future human missions to the Red Planet.

Why it matters

Understanding how Mars lost its atmosphere and habitability over time is crucial for preparing future human exploration of the planet. The data gathered by ESCAPADE will help NASA develop better space weather protocols to protect astronauts and technology during potential solar events directed at Mars.

The details

ESCAPADE is unique because it uses two spacecraft working together in orbit around Mars, allowing scientists to observe the planet's magnetic environment from two locations simultaneously. This 'stereo perspective' will help identify the processes that cause the Martian atmosphere to slowly leak into space. The spacecraft will initially travel along the same orbital path, then separate into different orbits to study the solar wind approaching Mars and the planet's response within its magnetosphere.

  • ESCAPADE was launched on November 13, 2025.
  • The mission's scientific instruments were activated and fully operational as of February 25, 2026.
  • The spacecraft are expected to arrive at Mars in September 2027.

The players

ESCAPADE

NASA's twin-spacecraft mission to study how the solar wind interacts with Mars' fragile magnetic environment and causes the planet to lose its atmosphere over time.

Joe Westlake

Heliophysics division director at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

Michele Cash

ESCAPADE program scientist at NASA Headquarters.

Rob Lillis

Principal investigator for the ESCAPADE mission at the University of California, Berkeley.

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What they’re saying

“The pioneering ESCAPADE duo will not only investigate the Sun's role in transforming Mars into an uninhabitable planet, but also will help inform the development of space weather protocols for solar events directed at Mars during future human missions to the Red Planet.”

— Joe Westlake, Heliophysics division director at NASA Headquarters

“Having two spacecraft is going to help us understand cause and effect -- how the solar wind, when it comes to Mars, interacts with the magnetic field.”

— Michele Cash, ESCAPADE program scientist at NASA Headquarters

“The ESCAPADE mission is a game changer. It gives us what you might call a stereo perspective -- two different vantage points simultaneously.”

— Rob Lillis, Principal investigator for the ESCAPADE mission at the University of California, Berkeley

What’s next

When the ESCAPADE spacecraft arrive at Mars, they will initially travel along the same orbital path, passing over identical regions at slightly different times. After about six months, the spacecraft will move into separate orbits, with one remaining closer to Mars and the other traveling farther away. This five-month phase will allow researchers to observe the solar wind approaching Mars while simultaneously studying the planet's response within its magnetosphere.

The takeaway

The ESCAPADE mission's unique dual-spacecraft approach will provide unprecedented insights into how the Sun's solar wind has gradually stripped away Mars' atmosphere over billions of years, transforming the once habitable planet into the frozen desert we see today. This knowledge will be crucial for preparing future human missions to the Red Planet and protecting astronauts from the harsh space environment.