NASA picks Blue Origin for 1st-ever interplanetary mission

Technology Aug 18, 2025

NASA has picked Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin to send its ESCAPADE mission to Mars, with liftoff set for September 29, 2025.
This will be Blue Origin's first-ever interplanetary flight—putting them ahead of SpaceX, which is still prepping its Starship.
The $80 million mission aims to explore how solar wind affects Mars's magnetosphere and atmosphere.

ESCAPADE will send 2 probes to orbit Mars

ESCAPADE will send two probes (managed by UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory) to orbit Mars and collect data on the planet's climate and radiation.
It's a big step for NASA teaming up with private companies like Blue Origin, showing how commercial spaceflight is now helping push the boundaries of deep-space research.