Space and Tech
New Glenn Launches NASA’s ESCAPADE Mission and Sticks Historic Reusable Booster Landing
Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket successfully launched NASA’s ESCAPADE mission, deployed twin Mars-bound spacecraft, and achieved a historic reusable booster landing on its second attempt—marking major progress for future lunar, Martian, and national security missions.
Last Updated on November 15, 2025 by Daily News Staff
Image Credit: Ble Origin
New Glenn Successfully Launches NASA’s ESCAPADE Mission — And Nails a Historic Reusable Booster Landing
In a milestone moment for commercial spaceflight and NASA’s next wave of planetary science missions, Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket successfully launched the agency’s ESCAPADE mission on Thursday, November 13, 2025. The massive orbital-class booster—powered by seven BE-4 engines—lifted off at 3:55:01 PM EST from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and completed every objective of its second mission.
Not only did New Glenn deploy NASA’s twin ESCAPADE spacecraft into their planned loiter orbit, but it also achieved a precision landing of its fully reusable first stage on Jacklyn in the Atlantic Ocean—an unprecedented feat for a booster of this size on its second attempt.
“We achieved full mission success today, and I am so proud of the team,” said Dave Limp, CEO of Blue Origin. “Never before in history has a booster this large nailed the landing on the second try. This is just the beginning as we rapidly scale our flight cadence and continue delivering for our customers.”
ESCAPADE: Preparing for Mars’ Next Close Approach
The ESCAPADE mission—short for Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers—consists of two nearly identical spacecraft that will begin their journey to Mars when the planets reach optimal alignment in fall 2026. Their science goal: to understand how the solar wind interacts with Mars’ patchy magnetic field and how this ongoing tug-of-war contributes to the loss of the Martian atmosphere.
By mapping these solar-atmospheric interactions in tandem, ESCAPADE will deepen scientists’ understanding of how Mars transitioned from a warm, water-rich world to the cold desert planet we know today.
The mission also supported another technology milestone: Viasat’s HaloNet demonstration aboard New Glenn’s second stage completed its first telemetry data relay test for NASA’s Communications Services Project—an important step toward next-generation space communications architectures.
NASA Praises the Mission’s Scientific and Operational Impact
NASA’s acting Administrator, Secretary Sean Duffy, highlighted both the scientific significance and the broader implications for future human exploration:
“Congratulations to Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, UC Berkeley, and all of our partners on the successful launch of ESCAPADE. This heliophysics mission will help reveal how Mars became a desert planet, and how solar eruptions affect the Martian surface.”
He also emphasized New Glenn’s growing importance as NASA prepares for its next major programs:
“Every launch of New Glenn provides data that will be essential when we launch MK-1 through Artemis. All of this information will be critical to protect future NASA explorers and invaluable as we evaluate how to deliver on President Trump’s vision of planting the Stars and Stripes on Mars.”
A Cornerstone Vehicle for NASA, Commercial Customers, and National Security
New Glenn is increasingly positioned as a foundational launch system for government, commercial, and defense customers. The rocket underpins Blue Origin’s long-term plans ranging from sustained human lunar operations to in-space resource utilization and multi-orbit logistics through its Blue Ring spacecraft platform.
The program currently has multiple vehicles in production and a growing multiyear manifest. In addition to NASA and Viasat, future New Glenn customers include:
Amazon’s Project Kuiper AST SpaceMobile Multiple international telecommunications providers
The flight also served as New Glenn’s second certification mission for the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program, bringing Blue Origin closer to full qualification for U.S. Space Force missions.
Jordan Charles, Vice President of New Glenn, said the company’s focus now turns to rapid reusability and increasing launch tempo:
“Today was a tremendous achievement for the New Glenn team, opening a new era for Blue Origin and the industry as we look to launch, land, repeat, again and again. We’ve made significant progress on manufacturing at rate and building ahead of need.”
A New Era of Heavy-Lift Reusability Begins
Blue Origin’s flawless execution of the ESCAPADE mission—and the successful recovery of its giant reusable booster—signals a major shift in the competitive landscape of heavy-lift launch. As New Glenn scales up its flight cadence, the company is positioning itself as a central player in the future of lunar exploration, Mars science, commercial broadband networks, and national security space.
With New Glenn now demonstrating repeatable performance and reusability, the space industry has officially entered a new chapter—one defined by larger vehicles, more complex missions, and the accelerating normalization of landing, refurbishing, and re-flying orbital-class boosters.
The science section of our news blog STM Daily News provides readers with captivating and up-to-date information on the latest scientific discoveries, breakthroughs, and innovations across various fields. We offer engaging and accessible content, ensuring that readers with different levels of scientific knowledge can stay informed. Whether it’s exploring advancements in medicine, astronomy, technology, or environmental sciences, our science section strives to shed light on the intriguing world of scientific exploration and its profound impact on our daily lives. From thought-provoking articles to informative interviews with experts in the field, STM Daily News Science offers a harmonious blend of factual reporting, analysis, and exploration, making it a go-to source for science enthusiasts and curious minds alike. https://stmdailynews.com/category/science/
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Last Updated on February 10, 2026 by Daily News Staff
Valerie Thomas is a true pioneer in the world of science and technology. A NASA engineer and physicist, she is best known for inventing the illusion transmitter, a groundbreaking device that creates 3D images using concave mirrors. This invention laid the foundation for modern 3D imaging and virtual reality technologies.
Beyond her inventions, Thomas broke barriers as an African American woman in STEM, mentoring countless young scientists and advocating for diversity in science and engineering. Her work at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center helped advance satellite technology and data visualization, making her contributions both innovative and enduring.
In our latest short video, we highlight Valerie Thomas’ remarkable journey—from her early passion for science to her groundbreaking work at NASA. Watch and be inspired by a true STEM pioneer whose legacy continues to shape the future of space and technology.
🎥 Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/P5XTgpcAoHw
Dive into “The Knowledge,” where curiosity meets clarity. This playlist, in collaboration with STMDailyNews.com, is designed for viewers who value historical accuracy and insightful learning. Our short videos, ranging from 30 seconds to a minute and a half, make complex subjects easy to grasp in no time. Covering everything from historical events to contemporary processes and entertainment, “The Knowledge” bridges the past with the present. In a world where information is abundant yet often misused, our series aims to guide you through the noise, preserving vital knowledge and truths that shape our lives today. Perfect for curious minds eager to discover the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of everything around us. Subscribe and join in as we explore the facts that matter. https://stmdailynews.com/the-knowledge/
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Every Friday, STM Daily News shines a light on brilliant minds history overlooked.
Forgotten Genius Fridays is a weekly collection of short videos and articles dedicated to inventors, innovators, scientists, and creators whose impact changed the world—but whose names were often left out of the textbooks.
From life-saving inventions and cultural breakthroughs to game-changing ideas buried by bias, our series digs up the truth behind the minds that mattered.
Each episode of The Knowledge runs 30–90 seconds, designed for curious minds on the go—perfect for YouTube Shorts, TikTok, Reels, and quick reads.
Because remembering these stories isn’t just about the past—it’s about restoring credit where it’s long overdue.
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Beneath the Waves: The Global Push to Build Undersea Railways
Undersea railways are transforming transportation, turning oceans from barriers into gateways. Proven by tunnels like the Channel and Seikan, these innovations offer cleaner, reliable connections for passengers and freight. Ongoing projects in China and Europe, alongside future proposals, signal a new era of global mobility beneath the waves.
For most of modern history, oceans have acted as natural barriers—dividing nations, slowing trade, and shaping how cities grow. But beneath the waves, a quiet transportation revolution is underway. Infrastructure once limited by geography is now being reimagined through undersea railways.
Undersea rail tunnels—like the Channel Tunnel and Japan’s Seikan Tunnel—proved decades ago that trains could reliably travel beneath the ocean floor. Today, new projects are expanding that vision even further.
Around the world, engineers and governments are investing in undersea railways—tunnels that allow high-speed trains to travel beneath oceans and seas. Once considered science fiction, these projects are now operational, under construction, or actively being planned.
Undersea Rail Is Already a Reality
Japan’s Seikan Tunnel and the Channel Tunnel between the United Kingdom and France proved decades ago that undersea railways are not only possible, but reliable. These tunnels carry passengers and freight beneath the sea every day, reshaping regional connectivity.
Undersea railways are cleaner than short-haul flights, more resilient than bridges, and capable of lasting more than a century. As climate pressures and congestion increase, rail beneath the sea is emerging as a practical solution for future mobility.
What’s Being Built Right Now
China is currently constructing the Jintang Undersea Railway Tunnel as part of the Ningbo–Zhoushan high-speed rail line, while Europe’s Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link will soon connect Denmark and Germany beneath the Baltic Sea. These projects highlight how transportation and technology are converging to solve modern mobility challenges.
The Mega-Projects Still on the Drawing Board
Looking ahead, proposals such as the Helsinki–Tallinn Tunnel and the long-studied Strait of Gibraltar rail tunnel could reshape global affairs by linking regions—and even continents—once separated by water.
Why Undersea Rail Matters
The future of transportation may not rise above the ocean—but run quietly beneath it.
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Space and Tech
Blue Origin Launches First Human Spaceflight of 2026 with New Shepard NS-38
Blue Origin successfully completed its first human spaceflight of 2026 with New Shepard NS-38, carrying six private astronauts and marking 98 humans flown to space.
Blue Origin has officially kicked off its 2026 flight calendar, successfully completing the 38th mission of its New Shepard program and further solidifying its role in commercial human spaceflight.
The suborbital flight, known as NS-38, carried six private astronauts beyond the Kármán line, offering several minutes of weightlessness and sweeping views of Earth before a safe return to West Texas. The mission marks the first New Shepard launch of 2026 and another milestone for Blue Origin’s reusable spaceflight system.
Why I Want to Take the Train from Phoenix to Los Angeles – STM Daily News Podcast
The NS-38 Crew
The six-person crew aboard NS-38 included:
- Tim Drexler
- Dr. Linda Edwards
- Alain Fernandez
- Alberto Gutiérrez
- Jim Hendren
- Dr. Laura Stiles
With this flight, New Shepard has now flown 98 humans into space, representing 92 individual passengers. The growing total reflects Blue Origin’s emphasis on routine, repeatable access to space—once considered experimental, now becoming operational.
A Reliable Start to 2026
Blue Origin leadership emphasized reliability and customer trust as central priorities moving into the new year.
“As we enter 2026, we’re focused on continuing to deliver transformational experiences for our customers through the proven capability and reliability of New Shepard,” said Phil Joyce, Senior Vice President of New Shepard. “We are grateful for our astronaut customers who put their trust in our team to bring this experience into reality.”
The fully reusable New Shepard rocket and capsule system has demonstrated strong safety performance, autonomous operations, and consistent recovery—key elements in scaling human spaceflight.
Building Toward a Larger Vision
Beyond space tourism, New Shepard plays a foundational role in Blue Origin’s long-term goal of enabling millions of people to live and work in space for the benefit of Earth.
As the company’s first operational human spaceflight system, New Shepard supports:
- Reusable launch vehicle testing
- Human-rated safety system validation
- Increased launch cadence and manufacturing expertise
- Future Blue Origin programs and missions
Each successful flight expands operational confidence while helping normalize commercial access to space.
What’s Next for Aspiring Astronauts
Blue Origin continues to accept interest from future New Shepard passengers, with additional flights expected throughout 2026. The company also released commemorative merchandise from the NS-38 mission, now available through the Blue Origin Shop.
As commercial spaceflight matures, missions like NS-38 highlight the industry’s shift from novelty to normalcy—bringing space closer to scientists, explorers, and private citizens alike.
Related Articles & Information
- Blue Origin – New Shepard Program Overview
Official overview of Blue Origin’s reusable suborbital rocket and human spaceflight system. - Blue Origin – Human Spaceflight Missions
Details on past and upcoming crewed New Shepard missions. - NASA: Humans in Space
NASA’s overview of human spaceflight history and current programs. - Commercial Spaceflight: How Private Companies Are Changing Access to Space
STM Daily News coverage of the growing space tourism and commercial launch industry. - Reusable Rockets Explained: Why They Matter
An explainer on reusable rocket technology and its impact on space exploration.
For more updates, insights, and in-depth coverage of space exploration and commercial spaceflight, visit the STM Daily News blog at stmdailynews.com. From mission breakdowns to industry trends and technology explainers, STM Daily News keeps you informed about humanity’s journey beyond Earth.
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