The 26-foot-tall (8-meter-tall) cargo lander is expected to embark on its first flight during the first quarter of 2026, touching down near the Shackleton crater at the Moon’s south pole. This demonstration mission, dubbed “Pathfinder,” will aim to validate all of the lander’s hardware and systems, including its never-before-flown BE-7 engine.

The Space Coast is preparing for another active year of launches, beginning with a SpaceX mission scheduled around midnight Sunday that will send additional satellites into orbit.

In theory, leaner NASA oversight, greater use of off‑the‑shelf hardware and narrower science goals can cut costs while launching more missions and increasing the total science return. If ESCAPADE succeeds in delivering important science, it will be held up as evidence that this more commercial, risk-tolerant template can deliver.