NASA announced that it has awarded Blue Origin a contract to launch its spacecraft mission to study Mars’ magnetosphere.
“NASA has awarded Blue Origin, LLC of Kent, Washington a task order to provide launch service for the agency’s Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers mission as part of the agency’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare launch services contract,” NASA said in a press release on Thursday.
The ESCAPADE mission will study solar wind energy transfer through Mars’ unique magnetosphere, the release said.
Blue Origin was on-ramped to NASA’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) launch services indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract on January 26, 2022, with a five-year period of performance, the release added.
The release did not provide any details on when the launch could be expected to take place.
