Rocket Lab announced that its two spacecraft for the ESCAPADE mission, nicknamed Blue and Gold, have reached Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking a major milestone ahead of launch. According to Rocket Lab, the probes will soon undergo inspections and functional testing before propellant loading and integration with their launch vehicle.

Developed for NASA in partnership with the University of California, Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory, the twin spacecraft are built on Rocket Lab’s “Explorer” platform, specifically designed for interplanetary science. The company noted that the full design, assembly, and testing process was completed in just over three years, which it described as an accelerated pace for a planetary mission.

The mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than this fall on Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket. Once in space, the two craft will travel side-by-side during their 22-month journey to Mars. Upon arrival, they will separate into different orbits around the planet to collect coordinated measurements of its magnetosphere.

Rocket Lab explained that ESCAPADE’s goal is to study how solar wind interacts with Mars’ atmosphere, shedding light on how the planet lost much of its air and water over time. The data will also provide insight into the Martian space environment, information considered useful for future human exploration.

Peter Beck, Rocket Lab’s founder and CEO, said the mission shows how the company can deliver advanced science programs quickly and affordably. He stressed that completing Mars-ready spacecraft on schedule and within budget highlights the efficiency of Rocket Lab’s vertically integrated production.

Rob Lillis, the mission’s principal investigator at UC Berkeley, expressed excitement as the spacecraft reached Florida, praising the collaboration between Rocket Lab, NASA, and the university in bringing the mission closer to launch.