Rocket Lab Mars mission ready, dual spacecraft delivered to NASA

According to Zhitong Finance APP, Rocket Lab (RKLB.US) announced that it has collaborated with the Space Sciences Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley, to deliver two "Explorer" class spacecraft to the Kennedy Space Center for the NASA ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration Dynamics Explorer) mission. After the spacecraft arrive at the Kennedy Space Center, Rocket Lab engineers will conduct post-transport inspections and functional tests in a clean room, followed by propellant loading and vehicle integration work. NASA's ESCAPADE mission is a dual-spacecraft exploration project designed to study Mars' magnetosphere and atmospheric escape phenomena by allowing the spacecraft to orbit Mars and collect real-time plasma and magnetic field data. Last year, Rocket Lab completed the design, manufacturing, integration, and testing of the twin spacecraft named "Blue" and "Gold" in just three and a half years—significantly accelerating the timeline for a Mars exploration mission. The company stated that this achievement is attributed to Rocket Lab's mature spacecraft manufacturing experience and vertically integrated supply chain system: the production of key components such as solar arrays, star trackers, propellant tanks, reaction wheels, radio equipment, and flight software is all done in-house. The spacecraft used for the ESCAPADE mission is based on Rocket Lab's Explorer spacecraft platform. During the 22-month cruise to Mars, "Blue" and "Gold" will fly together; upon reaching Mars, they will enter complementary elliptical orbits, conducting scientific exploration work and simultaneously capturing data from two different regions of Mars' magnetosphere. Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck emphasized, "The ESCAPADE mission perfectly embodies Rocket Lab's purpose—making challenging space science exploration more efficient and cost-effective. Delivering two interplanetary spacecraft for a Mars exploration mission on time and within budget is no small feat, showcasing our team's determination and adaptability." He added, "This will not be Rocket Lab's last foray into Mars exploration; as concept projects like the 'Mars Communication Orbiter' come to the forefront, we are laying the groundwork for more complex, powerful, and critical exploration missions that will support future human exploration of Mars." In terms of stock price, Rocket Lab's stock has risen 20% over the past six weeks