The ESCAPADE mission, short for Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers, is the first dual-satellite mission to another planet. Two identical spacecraft will orbit in formation to provide a first-of-its-kind 3D view of Mars' magnetosphere and upper atmosphere.

The U.S. space agency has fallen silent amid the federal government shutdown, but it's about to slingshot a pair of robotic spacecraft to Mars.

Mars is about to receive a double dose of attention. This weekend, a pair of identical NASA satellites will launch together to help reveal how the Red Planet lost its thick atmosphere and liquid water — one of its oldest mysteries, and a key to understanding how it transformed from a once-habitable world into the frozen desert it is today.

“It’s a huge privilege to be leading a mission to Mars,” said Robert Lillis, the UC Berkeley planetary scientist leading the international team of researchers, over email. “ (ESCAPADE) will give us a whole new set of ‘eyes’ in understanding how space weather buffets Mars’ atmosphere … It’s hugely significant.”

A NASA mission is set to launch twin spacecraft on a journey to Mars. The robotic orbiters could lift off atop Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket as soon as Sunday.

NASA's first multiple-satellite mission to another planet will map Mars' magnetic field and atmosphere in 3D, laying the groundwork for human exploration.

ESCAPADE is overseen by the University of California Berkeley, who named the spacecraft’s onboard satellites Blue and Gold after the school’s colors. In addition to its primary objectives, the spacecraft will be the first to reach Mars using a new trajectory path.

In an awesome space-based surprise, China's Tianwen-1 orbiter has sent back intriguing photos of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, taken from the orbit of Mars. For those just joining the story of our interstellar visitor,