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Photon to Mars - NASA ESCAPADE mission - Oct 2024
by
FutureSpaceTourist
on 15 Jun, 2021 10:05
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This thread is for the ESCAPADE spacecraft only.
The launch thread is in the Blue origin section:
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=58623.0
https://twitter.com/rocketlab/status/1404741117208272896Photon is going to Mars! Two Photons to be exact. We’ve been awarded a contract by @UCBerkeley to design two Photon spacecraft for @NASA’s ESCAPADE mission to Mars. Learn more: bit.ly/3zqhdIR
https://www.rocketlabusa.com/about-us/updates/rocket-lab-awarded-contract-to-design-twin-spacecraft-for-mars/Rocket Lab Awarded Contract to Design Twin Spacecraft for Mars
The two Rocket Lab Photon spacecraft for the ESCAPADE mission to Mars are part of NASA’s Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx) program
Long Beach, California. June 15, 2021. Rocket Lab, a global leader in dedicated launch and space systems, has been awarded a contract to design two Photon spacecraft for a scientific mission to Mars.
The Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE) mission, led by Rob Lillis at the University of California, Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory, is a twin-spacecraft science mission that will orbit two spacecraft around Mars to understand the structure, composition, variability, and dynamics of Mars' unique hybrid magnetosphere. The mission will leverage its unique dual viewpoint on the Mars environment to explore how the solar wind strips atmosphere away from Mars to better understand how its climate has changed over time.
ESCAPADE is being developed under NASA’s Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx) program in the Science Mission Directorate (SMD). The two spacecraft are planned for launch in 2024 to Mars ridesharing aboard a NASA-provided commercial launch vehicle.
Following an 11-month interplanetary cruise, the two Photons (named Blue and Gold) will insert themselves into elliptical orbits around Mars and conduct a 1-year primary science mission. ESCAPADE’s Photons will use the flight-proven Curie propulsion system to perform Mars orbit insertion and will be equipped with other subsystems that enable planetary science, including star trackers and reaction wheels for precision pointing from Rocket Lab’s Sinclair Interplanetary team, as well as ranging transceivers for deep space navigation.
Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Peter Beck says: “This is a hugely promising mission that will deliver big science in a small package. Planetary science missions have traditionally costed hundreds of millions of dollars and taken up to a decade to come to fruition. Our Photon spacecraft for ESCAPADE will demonstrate a more cost-effective approach to planetary exploration that will increase the science community’s access to our solar system for the better.”
ESCAPADE is one of three missions selected in 2019 by NASA’s SIMPLEx program to conduct compelling planetary science and provide more opportunities for flight experience to the science community. ESCAPADE will undergo a NASA preliminary design review in June and a confirmation review in July determining whether the mission proceeds to implementation and flight.
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#1
by
niwax
on 15 Jun, 2021 10:16
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ridesharing aboard a NASA-provided commercial launch vehicle.
Electron is enough to throw individual Photons to Mars, but they decided to launch both on a rideshare instead. Considering the tight launch window and availability of a dedicated launcher, that's interesting.
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#2
by
RoadWithoutEnd
on 15 Jun, 2021 10:31
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ridesharing aboard a NASA-provided commercial launch vehicle.
Electron is enough to throw individual Photons to Mars, but they decided to launch both on a rideshare instead. Considering the tight launch window and availability of a dedicated launcher, that'S interesting.
Having to launch twice might nullify the advantages of Electron. And since the mission (presumably) needs both payloads to succeed, there's no benefit to redundancy.
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#3
by
edzieba
on 15 Jun, 2021 10:37
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It also means the Photons have close to their entire propellant capacity available for mid-course corrections, insertion burn, and in-orbit manoeuvres. Launching on Electron would mean some amount of that propellant would instead need to be used for TMI. IIRC a burn-to-depletion Electron kick-stage can throw something like 25km-50kg into TMI, which isn't much margin for even the expanded-tank Interplanetary Photon to carry a useful payload plus Mars insertion propellant.
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#4
by
Welsh Dragon
on 15 Jun, 2021 12:11
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I'd say the fact they're not launching on Electron is a good thing. It's good for diversifying their market, shows they're not locked in to launching Photons only on their own launchers.
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#5
by
LouScheffer
on 15 Jun, 2021 16:27
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Presumably they will use the
IRIS deep space transponder.
Any idea of what they will use for an antenna, which will need to be fairly sizeable? The folding planar antenna from MarCo?
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#6
by
DreamyPickle
on 15 Jun, 2021 16:35
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One way to read "NASA-provided commercial launch vehicle" is that the launch vehicle was not part of the bidding. RocketLab won a contract to build a payload against other companies that build payloads.
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#7
by
trimeta
on 15 Jun, 2021 18:58
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#8
by
TrevorMonty
on 15 Jun, 2021 19:25
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The option is 1000-1500kg LVs coming on market soon. May need kick stage for earth escape.
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#9
by
FutureSpaceTourist
on 23 Aug, 2021 11:06
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https://www.rocketlabusa.com/about-us/updates/rocket-lab-spacecraft-confirmed-for-mars-as-nasa-greenlights-escapade-small-satellite-interplanetary-mission/Rocket Lab Spacecraft Confirmed for Mars as NASA Greenlights ESCAPADE Small Satellite Interplanetary Mission
The ESCAPADE mission - led by the University of California Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory to study Mars’ magnetosphere - with two Rocket Lab Photon spacecraft has received NASA approval to move toward launch.
Long Beach, California. 23 August, 2021. Rocket Lab, a global leader in dedicated launch and space systems, today announced it will begin final mission design and commence manufacturing two interplanetary Photon spacecraft for a science mission to Mars, delivering Decadal-class science at a fraction of the cost of typical planetary missions.
The Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE) mission will orbit two Rocket Lab-built Photon spacecraft around Mars to understand the structure, composition, variability, and dynamics of Mars' unique hybrid magnetosphere. The mission will also support crewed exploration programs like Artemis through improved solar storm prediction.
ESCAPADE is the latest of only three missions proceeding under the current round of NASA’s Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEX) program to conduct compelling planetary space science with small satellites and provide more opportunities for flight experience to the science community. The ESCAPADE mission, led by principal investigator Robert Lillis at the University of California, Berkeley, is the latest SIMPLEX mission to pass Key Decision Point-C (KDP-C), confirming it for implementation in preparation for launch to Mars in 2024. The ESCAPADE mission is managed by the NASA Science Mission Directorate’s Heliophysics Division and will be the first Heliophysics mission to visit another planet.
Following deployment from a NASA-provided commercial launch vehicle, the pair of Photons will conduct an 11-month interplanetary cruise before inserting themselves into elliptical orbits around Mars to begin the science phase. Both Photons incorporate satellite subsystems developed and manufactured by Rocket Lab, including star trackers, reaction wheels, ranging transceivers for deep space navigation, and in-space propulsion systems. By leveraging vertically-integrated spacecraft manufacturing, the ESCAPADE mission will be delivered at a fraction of the cost of traditional planetary missions. This supports U.S. national strategy for Decadal-class science by increasing the pace of scientific discovery and enabling more sustainable crewed exploration by improving our understanding of the space environment.
Rocket Lab’s founder and CEO, Peter Beck, says “ESCAPADE is an innovative mission that demonstrates that advanced interplanetary science is now within reach for a fraction of traditional costs, and we’re proud to make it possible with Photon,” he said. “Passing the Key Decision Point is a critical milestone in ESCAPADE’s development and is testament to the world-class science and engineering work of the UC Berkeley and Rocket Lab teams. We are delighted to receive the green light from NASA to proceed to flight.”
ESCAPADE is one of several missions beyond Earth orbit currently under development by Rocket Lab using the Photon spacecraft, including the CAPSTONE mission to the Moon in support of NASA’s Artemis program and Rocket Lab’s own privately-funded science mission to Venus.
ENDS
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#10
by
FutureSpaceTourist
on 27 Aug, 2021 06:42
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https://twitter.com/rocketlab/status/1431062508979163138NASA’s ESCAPADE Mission – Twin Martian Orbiters – Moves Toward Launch
Our space systems team is in high gear after @NASA's ESCAPADE mission passed a key design review.🛰️
Twin Photons are in development to orbit the red planet, delivering decadal-class science at a fraction of the cost of typical planetary missions. #SmallSatsBigScience
https://blogs.nasa.gov/escapade/2021/08/20/nasas-escapade-mission-twin-martian-orbiters-moves-toward-launch/ NASA’s Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers, or ESCAPADE mission, passed a mission review on August 17, 2021, moving the mission into its next phase with a new target launch readiness date of October 2024.
The review, Key Decision Point C, evaluated the mission’s preliminary design and project plan to achieve launch by its target launch readiness date. With the successful review, ESCAPADE now moves into phase C, which includes the final design of the mission and building of the instruments.
“We are thrilled to pass this critical milestone, the culmination of two years of science and engineering work from a talented and dedicated team at UC Berkeley and our partners,” said Rob Lillis, space physicist at UC Berkeley and principal investigator for ESCAPADE. “We’re very excited to now move towards final designs, assembly, test, launch and get on our way to Mars.”
ESCAPADE consists of two identical interplanetary Photon spacecraft developed by Rocket Lab. Both spacecraft are about the size of a mini-fridge and weigh no more than about 250 pounds (120 kilograms) excluding fuel.
“This is a hugely promising mission that will deliver big science in a small package,” said Peter Beck, Rocket Lab founder and CEO. “Our Photon spacecraft for ESCAPADE will demonstrate a more cost-effective approach to planetary exploration that will increase the science community’s access to our solar system for the better. I’m thrilled that the hard work and dedication of the engineering teams at UC Berkeley and Rocket Lab to date have paid off and the mission has been approved by NASA to begin final design and building.”
Launching no earlier than January 2024, the twin ESCAPADE spacecraft will spend 11 months in interplanetary space before entering a highly elliptical orbit around Mars. They will spend six months gradually descending into the same nominal science orbit like pearls on a string, passing within 100 miles (160 kilometers) of the Martian surface at closest approach.
“For ESCAPADE, we’re evaluating a number of rideshare options to enable this critically important science while also lowering costs,” said Alan Zide, program executive for the mission at NASA HQ.
ESCAPADE will study how Mars’ magnetosphere – the magnetized area of space around the planet – interacts with the solar wind, and the processes driving its atmospheric escape.
“This constellation of two satellites at Mars will answer big questions about the atmosphere and the solar wind in real time,” said Shannon Curry, project scientist for the mission at UC Berkeley.
“With simultaneous two-point observations, ESCAPADE will bring us the first ‘stereo’ picture of this highly dynamic environment,” Lillis added.
Using instruments to measure magnetic fields, ions, and electrons, the ESCAPADE spacecraft will analyze how Mars’ magnetic field guides particle flows around the planet; how energy and momentum are transported from the solar wind through Mars’ magnetosphere; and what processes control the flow of energy and matter into and out of the atmosphere.
“Our heliophysics decadal surveys” – the community-wide survey used to set NASA’s scientific objectives – “have identified the scientific need to study the space environments of other planets,” said Jared Leisner, ESCAPADE program scientist at NASA HQ. “By studying the same processes at different planets, we gain key insights into how they function both at Earth and at other planets beyond the solar system.”
ESCAPADE is led by the University of California, Berkeley. The mission is managed by the Planetary Mission Program Office at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. ESCAPADE is part of the NASA Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx) program and is funded through the Heliophysics Division at NASA HQ.
By Miles Hatfield
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
Author Miles Hatfield Posted on August 20, 2021
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#11
by
TrevorMonty
on 08 Sep, 2021 23:25
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Good podcast on design and science behind this mission. The 2nd half of podcast is other Martian science.
https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/robert-lillis-escapade-marsThe Photon buses are being provided by RL at fixed price not usual cost plus for planetary missions. Some of payload science instruments are new while others are copies from previous missions.
Capstone should give some flight heritage as RL plan to operate Photon long after it drops off Capstone. If Photon proves reliable then it could become goto platform for these low cost missions.
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#12
by
TrevorMonty
on 19 Jan, 2022 08:41
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These satellites maybe launch on Neutron. In RL Launch Schedule tread has 2024 Neutron to MARS.
Could be totally different mission. Chance of Neutron being ready in 2024 is marginal.
F9R are readily available at short notice so planning on Neutron with F9R as backup isn't that silly.
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#13
by
arachnitect
on 19 Jan, 2022 11:45
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These satellites maybe launch on Neutron. In RL Launch Schedule tread has 2024 Neutron to MARS.
Could be totally different mission. Chance of Neutron being ready in 2024 is marginal.
F9R are readily available at short notice so planning on Neutron with F9R as backup isn't that silly.
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Mars the planet or MARS the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport?
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#14
by
TrevorMonty
on 19 Jan, 2022 15:48
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These satellites maybe launch on Neutron. In RL Launch Schedule tread has 2024 Neutron to MARS.
Could be totally different mission. Chance of Neutron being ready in 2024 is marginal.
F9R are readily available at short notice so planning on Neutron with F9R as backup isn't that silly.
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Mars the planet or MARS the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport?
That makes more sense.
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#15
by
sanman
on 19 Jan, 2022 16:50
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Mars the planet or MARS the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport?
Now who thought up that clever-by-half acronym? It's going to make for confusing discussions.
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#16
by
FutureSpaceTourist
on 30 Mar, 2023 17:41
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#17
by
FutureSpaceTourist
on 30 Mar, 2023 17:58
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#18
by
jimvela
on 30 Mar, 2023 18:24
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Presumably they will use the IRIS deep space transponder.
Any idea of what they will use for an antenna, which will need to be fairly sizeable? The folding planar antenna from MarCo?
That's NOT a given.
RocketLab is licensed to produce their in-house variant of the APL Frontier radio.
https://www.rocketlabusa.com/space-systems/radios/It's an excellent SDR radio and I know of multiple programs that are considering using it for deep space applications.
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#19
by
GewoonLukas_
on 11 Apr, 2023 20:07
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Launch window opens August 6th and closes August 15th:
At the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) meeting today, Rob Lillis, PI for the ESCAPADE mission, says the launch window for it is Aug. 6-15, 2024. He believes Blue Origin's New Glenn "likely will be ready" for launching the mission.
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1645880943524159491