NASA’s ESCAPADE mission, aimed at examining the impact of solar wind on Mars’ atmosphere, faced a setback on the launch pad due to a solar storm affecting conditions on Earth. The mission, known as Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE), was initially set for liftoff aboard a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket on November 12 but had to be rescheduled to November 13 due to a solar event that posed a risk to the spacecraft.
Coronal mass ejections, massive eruptions from the sun’s surface expelling charged particles into space at high speeds, posed a threat to ESCAPADE. One such eruption directed towards Earth resulted in a stunning display of Northern lights in the northern hemisphere on the evening of November 11. These lights are created when solar particles interact with the Earth’s magnetic field, causing the upper atmosphere to glow.
Despite the captivating spectacle from the ground, the electrified solar particles could potentially disrupt a spacecraft’s electronic systems, prompting the delay of the mission until the space storm had passed. Ironically, ESCAPADE’s purpose is to study the effects of solar eruptions on Mars, exploring the mystery of the planet’s vanishing atmosphere over billions of years.
Mars, which once exhibited signs of a warm, wet environment with the possibility of supporting life, has since transformed into a cold, arid world with a significantly diminished atmosphere compared to Earth. Factors such as dormant volcanoes and a weakened magnetic field are believed to have contributed to Mars’ atmospheric loss.
The ESCAPADE mission involves two spacecraft monitoring solar activity and its impact on Mars’ atmosphere to assess the rate of atmospheric erosion. This research could have implications for future Mars missions involving human astronauts, who would face increased solar radiation exposure on the planet’s surface.
Recent discoveries of powerful solar eruptions on other stars raise concerns about the potential atmospheric stripping of planets orbiting such stars, highlighting the precarious balance of life in the universe. Research into these phenomena could provide insights into the frequency and impact of super storms on exoplanets, shaping our understanding of habitable environments beyond our solar system.