NASA ends decade-long Mars mission after spacecraft loss
Los Angeles, June 4
The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, NASA's first mission devoted to observing the Martian atmosphere and its evolution, has officially come to an end after losing contact with its spacecraft last December, the agency has announced.
Blasting off on November 18, 2013, the spacecraft entered Mars' orbit on September 21, 2014. Originally designed for a one-year primary mission, the spacecraft operated at the Red Planet for more than 11 years and exceeded its planned mission life by more than a decade, according to NASA.
The spacecraft was last heard on December 6, 2025, when it experienced an unexpected loss of signal after it passed behind Mars, reports Xinhua news agency.
NASA convened an anomaly review board in February to evaluate recovery efforts and assess the spacecraft's condition.
The review board has determined that the MAVEN spacecraft is not recoverable, and it is no longer capable of performing its science and data relay mission, which is consistent with the mission team's findings, NASA said on Wednesday (Local time).
Preliminary findings suggest the spacecraft entered a high-rate rotation after passing behind Mars, disrupting its orbit trajectory and eventually draining its batteries. The resulting loss of power to the communications system left MAVEN unable to contact Earth.
The agency noted that the root cause of the anomaly remains under investigation, and a final report is expected later this year.
NASA has begun the formal process of decommissioning the mission, following standard procedures to archive the full mission dataset for the science and exploration communities.
"The science MAVEN has given us is key to informing what kind of radiation protection and safety measures we must take before sending humans to Mars," said Louise Prockter, director of the Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Sad to see any mission end unexpectedly, but the science legacy is outstanding. MAVEN's data on Mars' atmospheric loss directly helps us plan for human missions. I just hope ISRO and NASA continue collaborating—imagine what a joint Mars mission could achieve! 🌌
Space is tough. Even after a decade of flawless operation, one anomaly can end everything. But that's the nature of exploration—you push boundaries and accept risks. The knowledge MAVEN provided on solar wind stripping and atmospheric escape is priceless for future Mars settlers.
First Mangalyaan, then MOM-2 on the way, and now NASA's MAVEN gives us clues about Mars' atmosphere. What a time to be alive! The director said this helps with radiation protection for astronauts—critical for future Mars missions. Space exploration truly unites us all. 🌟
While I appreciate the science, I can't help but wonder—why can't we have such long-duration missions with Indian spacecraft? Our Mangalyaan lasted 8 years, which was incredible, but MAVEN went 11. We need more investment in deep space communication and power systems. Just my honest opinion.
High-rate rotation draining batteries—fascinating failure mode. NASA's anomaly review will help future missions avoid similar pitfalls. And what a legacy: 11 years of data on Mars' climate history! Now let's hope ISRO's follow-up Mars mission also lasts a decade. Chalo, team up with NASA! 🤝
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.