NASA’s ESCAPADE twins give Earth a powered goodbye

After nearly a year near Earth–sun L2, NASA’s ESCAPADE probes Blue and Gold have completed powered Earth flybys and are heading toward Mars. NASA says this is its first use of powered Earth flybys to send spacecraft to Mars. Arrivals are planned two days apart in September 2027, followed by studies of Martian space weather. The long wait is over; the trip isn’t.