Two small spacecraft built by Rocket Lab for NASA’s ESCAPADE mission have completed their trans-Mars injection burns, according to Rocket Lab’s November 10 update. The milestone sends the twin probes toward Mars, where scientists intend to study the planet’s magnetic environment and the way solar wind interacts with its atmosphere.

Why two spacecraft matter

Rather than taking measurements from a single location, ESCAPADE uses two spacecraft to observe changing conditions from different vantage points. That approach can help researchers distinguish changes over time from differences across space. The science focuses on how energy and particles move through the Martian environment, a question that also matters to future robotic and human exploration.