NASA Loses Contact with MAVEN Mars Orbiter

NASA has lost contact with its Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft, a long-serving Mars orbiter that has been studying how the Red Planet’s atmosphere is escaping into space. The spacecraft went silent in early December, and engineers are continuing efforts to re-establish communication and assess its status.

MAVEN’s Scientific Role at Mars

Launched by NASA in November 2013, MAVEN entered Mars orbit in September 2014 and was designed to study the planet’s upper atmosphere and ionosphere. Its instruments measure gases, ions, solar wind and magnetic interactions, helping scientists understand how Mars transitioned from a warmer, wetter planet to the cold and arid world seen today. Though planned as a two-year mission, MAVEN has operated for more than a decade on extended duty.

Loss of Signal and Initial Findings

MAVEN transmitted its last full set of routine health data on December 4. Two days later, it passed behind Mars from Earth’s perspective, a temporary communication blackout that is normally expected. However, when the spacecraft was due to reappear, NASA’s Deep Space Network failed to detect its usual signal. In a December 15 update, NASA reported recovering a brief fragment of tracking data from December 6, suggesting that MAVEN may have been rotating unexpectedly and that its orbit could have changed.

Impact on Mars Relay Operations

Beyond science, MAVEN plays a crucial operational role by relaying data between Earth and surface missions such as Curiosity and Perseverance. With MAVEN currently silent, NASA has shifted relay duties to other orbiters, including the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Odyssey, while also coordinating with European Mars orbiters to ensure continuity.

Imporatnt Facts for Exams

• MAVEN studies the escape of Mars’s atmosphere into space.
• The spacecraft entered Mars orbit in September 2014.
• It also serves as a communications relay for Mars rovers.
• NASA uses the Deep Space Network for interplanetary communication.

MAVEN in Context of Mars Exploration

MAVEN’s arrival at Mars closely followed India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), or Mangalyaan, which entered orbit in September 2014. While MOM was framed by the Indian Space Research Organisation as a technology demonstrator with limited scientific payloads, MAVEN was a more technically ambitious science mission focused on atmospheric loss. Despite differences in scope and cost, both missions contributed to a landmark phase in Mars exploration. NASA has not yet disclosed the cause of MAVEN’s apparent anomaly, and recovery efforts are ongoing.