NASA’s two ESCAPADE smallsat probes complete Earth flybys and move toward their next stage of travel to Mars. NASA describes the event as successful “powered” Earth flybys, using Earth’s gravity alongside a sustained engine burn to change trajectory. After these maneuvers, the spacecraft are set on a course toward the Red Planet.
The reports agree that the missions involve twin spacecraft traveling nearly a year after launch and that Earth flybys are a key step before Mars arrival. One outlet frames the flyby as an unprecedented “double gravity assist,” while another emphasizes that the spacecraft are “on their way to Mars” after completing the Earth maneuvers.
NASA’s own update adds a specific target for the next milestone, stating the probes are on track to reach Mars in September 2027. Across coverage, the difference is mostly in how the flyby method is described—general flybys versus the combination of gravity and powered engine burns—rather than in the overall mission status.
