TOH edition: Tuesday, 10 November 2026 · science
A More Flexible Route to Mars Is Taking Shape: Two NASA Spacecraft Successfully Slingshot Past Earth
Reported by NASA
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NASA’s twin ESCAPADE spacecraft have successfully combined Earth’s gravity with engine burns to set themselves on course for Mars. The maneuvers mark a completed step in a new travel strategy designed to let missions launch without waiting for the usual two-year planetary alignment.
The successful departures show how human ingenuity can open more flexible paths to planetary exploration, though arrival at Mars and the main science campaign remain ahead.
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