Four cameras designed and built by students and faculty at Northern Arizona University (NAU) are set to embark on a mission to Mars. These cameras, two traditional and two infrared, are part of NASA’s upcoming science mission, ESCAPADE, which aims to explore the Martian atmosphere. The mission, conceived by Rob Lillis of UC Berkeley, will launch aboard a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The collaboration involved a team of 35 students over three semesters, providing them with hands-on experience in a groundbreaking project. According to Christopher Edwards, a professor of planetary science and director of NAU’s Radiant Center for Remote Sensing, the initiative is an invaluable opportunity for aspiring planetary scientists and engineers.
“This project allowed students to engage with NASA throughout the process, from conception to design, testing, and eventual launch,” Edwards explained. “They tackled challenges such as securing tiny electronics, managing heat transfer without fans, and mounting optics to withstand launch conditions.”
Support from the Arizona Board of Regents’ Technology Research Initiative Fund enabled Edwards to create courses that guided students in their work. They collaborated with fellow professors, including David Trilling, Chris Haberle, and Michael Shafer, strengthening the educational experience through interdisciplinary cooperation.
The spacecraft will enter a “loitering” phase up to 2 million miles from Earth before conducting camera tests. If successful, the spacecraft is expected to arrive at Mars in September 2027, although it may take up to a year after that for the cameras to begin capturing images of the Martian surface.
Once operational, the cameras are anticipated to yield groundbreaking results. Edwards noted the potential to observe phenomena similar to Earth’s northern lights, theorizing that Mars may host its own auroras. “We believe we can capture the aurora with our cameras,” he stated. The infrared cameras are also expected to provide new insights into the evolution of Mars’ polar caps, a crucial area of study in planetary science.
Students will continue to play an integral role in analyzing the data collected by the cameras. Chris Haberle mentioned plans to recruit students with strong backgrounds in computing and data analysis for the operations and analysis phase of the project. “It’s going to be an exciting time operating an instrument around another planet and analyzing the data that are returned,” he said.
The initiative exemplifies how educational institutions can foster practical experience while contributing to significant scientific endeavors. The collaboration between NAU and NASA not only enhances students’ skills but also reinforces the idea that high-quality data collection from space does not have to be prohibitively expensive.
As the countdown to the launch begins, anticipation builds for the groundbreaking discoveries that await. By engaging students in this mission, NAU is not just preparing the next generation of scientists; it is also paving the way for new advancements in our understanding of Mars and its mysteries.
