Structural Qualification!
We built up a full copy of the spacecraft to make sure our design can survive the punishing environment of launch into space!
ESCAPADE Timeline
This is the current working timeline.
Pre-Environmental Review (PER)
With the two spacecraft (mostly) assembled, it’s time to carefully review the configuration of the system & ensure that all unit-level, subsystem, and system testing has been completed. Here is where we make sure everything is ready to put the spacecraft through their environmental tests, i.e. the conditions they will Read more…
Instrument Integration on Spacecraft
Fully tested and delivered, time to mount the instruments on the Blue & Gold Spacecraft and put them through their paces!!
Instruments Come Together!
It’s Instrument Suite I&T! Instrument teams are hard at work assembling, testing, disassembling, cleaning, retesting. Here’s EESA-e instrument lead Phyllis Whittlesey hard at work.
Critical Design Review
After some challenges over the summer following changing the separation and propulsion systems, the team at UCB and RL completed a successful CDR. From the Independent Review Board: The Escapade independent Mission CDR demonstrated stunning progress since the Spacecraft CDR in June. All the actions from SCDR were addressed. The Read more…
Launch!
ESCAPADE is set to launch on the maiden voyage of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket in September 2024!
Rocket Lab Selected as ESCAPADE Spacecraft Contractor
Press Release: Space company Rocket Lab plans to build new Mars spacecraft The University of California-Berkeley has chosen California-based space company Rocket Lab to build two spacecraft for one of the least expensive interplanetary missions in history, a scientific investigation of the Martian magnetosphere. Read more.
ESCAPADE demanifested from Psyche launch, Phase B Extension
With Psyche’s launch targets unviable for ESCAPADE, we were removed from the Psyche launch manifest and provided an additional 9 months and $1.8 m to redesign the mission to be as flexible as possible in terms of launch. Article: ESCAPADE demanifested from Psyche launch