Everyone has looked up at the clouds and seen faces, animals, objects. Human brains are hardwired^[1] for this kind of whimsy. But some people – perhaps a surprising number^[2] – look to the sky and see government plots and wicked deeds written there. Conspiracy theorists say that contrails^[3] – long streaks of condensation left by...

Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket successfully made its way to orbit^[1] for the second time on Nov. 13, 2025. Although the second launch is never as flashy as the first, this mission is still significant in several ways.

For one, it launched a pair of NASA spacecraft named ESCAPADE^[2], which are headed to Mars orbit^[3] to study that...

Envision a time when hundreds of spacecraft are exploring the solar system and beyond. That’s the future that NASA’s ESCAPADE^[1], or Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers, mission will help unleash: one where small, low-cost spacecraft enable researchers to learn rapidly, iterate, and advance technology and science.

The ESCAPADE...