NASA engineers are working urgently to reestablish communication with the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft after the long-serving orbiter unexpectedly went silent last week. The agency confirmed that the loss of contact occurred on December 6, shortly after MAVEN passed behind Mars in what is typically a routine segment of its orbit.
Mission controllers expected communications to resume as soon as the spacecraft reappeared. Instead, the Deep Space Network registered no response, prompting an immediate technical investigation. According to NASA, all onboard systems appeared healthy in the final telemetry received before the blackout, adding a layer of mystery to the sudden silence.
Launched in 2013 and arriving at Mars in 2014, MAVEN has spent more than a decade studying the planet’s upper atmosphere and how solar wind interactions gradually stripped Mars of its once thicker air. The mission played a crucial role in shaping scientists’ current understanding of how the Red Planet transformed from a warmer, more Earth-like world into the cold desert seen today.
Earlier this year, MAVEN delivered groundbreaking real-time measurements of atmospheric “sputtering,” a process where energetic particles knock molecules away from the planet. Scientists found that the rate of atmospheric escape was significantly higher than previously estimated, especially during peaks in solar activity.
Beyond its scientific objectives, MAVEN also functions as a communication relay for surface missions, including NASA’s Perseverance and Curiosity rovers. While two other orbiters – Mars Odyssey and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter – can handle relay duties, MAVEN’s absence reduces overall network flexibility.
The mission had already surpassed expectations, operating well past its planned two-year primary timeline and continuing to deliver valuable scientific data through 2025. NASA maintains hope that communication can be restored, noting that the spacecraft showed no signs of distress prior to the signal loss.
Engineers are currently executing a series of recovery commands and will release updates as new information becomes available. Other Mars missions remain active and unaffected, ensuring continued scientific and operational coverage across the planet.
