ESCAPADE Timeline/History

2024
October 1 2024 7:02 AM

Launch!

ESCAPADE is set to launch on Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket in Q3 of 2024!

2023
February 14 2023 6:02 PM

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.

2022
October 26 2022 8:12 PM

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

May 10 2022 12:01 AM

New Propulsion System

New Zealand COVID delays impacted qualification schedule of original system; inadequate time remained to resolve issues found. Replaced with off-the-shelf solution from Arianne Space. New design brought up to CDR maturity, peer reviewed

2021
August 4 2021 9:01 PM

ESCAPADE confirmation

ESCAPADE passes its KDP-C on August 17, 2021, with a new target launch readiness date of May 2024. NASA press release Berkeley News article. Daily Californian article Rob Lillis Interview with Matt Kaplan on Planetary Radio. Supercluster article.

2020
November 18 2020 1:02 AM

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.

September 1 2020 1:02 AM

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  

August 1 2020 10:01 PM

Preliminary Design Review

New and very different launch targets for the Psyche mission announced in May 2020 led to a scramble to redesign the ESCAPADE mission, stretching design margins to breaking point. Result: failed PDR :-(.

2019
November 14 2019 6:12 PM
June 19 2019 12:00 AM

ESCAPADE selection

NASA Planetary Director Lori Glaze calls Rob: ESCAPADE has been selected for Phase A/B study!   Selection Day Videos on Twitter NASA Press Release KRON4 Bay Area News

ESCAPADE Timeline/History

2024
October 1, 2024

Launch!

ESCAPADE is set to launch on Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket in Q3 of 2024!

2023
February 14, 2023

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.

2022
October 26, 2022

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

May 10, 2022

New Propulsion System

New Zealand COVID delays impacted qualification schedule of original system; inadequate time remained to resolve issues found. Replaced with off-the-shelf solution from Arianne Space. New design brought up to CDR maturity, peer reviewed

2021
August 4, 2021

ESCAPADE confirmation

ESCAPADE passes its KDP-C on August 17, 2021, with a new target launch readiness date of May 2024. NASA press release Berkeley News article. Daily Californian article Rob Lillis Interview with Matt Kaplan on Planetary Radio. Supercluster article.

2020
November 18, 2020

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.

September 1, 2020

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  

August 1, 2020

Preliminary Design Review

New and very different launch targets for the Psyche mission announced in May 2020 led to a scramble to redesign the ESCAPADE mission, stretching design margins to breaking point. Result: failed PDR :-(.

2019
November 14, 2019
June 19, 2019

ESCAPADE selection

NASA Planetary Director Lori Glaze calls Rob: ESCAPADE has been selected for Phase A/B study!   Selection Day Videos on Twitter NASA Press Release KRON4 Bay Area News