NASA’s Maven Spacecraft Loses Contact With Ground Stations

NASA’s Maven spacecraft, an acronym for Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, has ceased communication with ground stations, leaving scientists perplexed. The abrupt ___ of contact on December 6 has sparked concern, as the spacecraft was functioning normally before disappearing behind Mars and reappearing in silence.

Launched in 2013, Maven entered Mars’ orbit in September 2014, embarking on a mission to study the upper Martian atmosphere and its interaction with the solar wind. The Maven spacecraft played a crucial role in unraveling the mystery of Mars’ atmospheric ___, revealing that the sun was largely responsible for the planet’s transformation from a wet and warm world to the dry and cold one it is today.

Maven served as a vital communication relay for NASA’s two Mars rovers, Curiosity and Perseverance. Fortunately, NASA has two other active spacecraft orbiting Mars: the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, launched in 2005, and Mars Odyssey, launched in 2001. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has captured striking images of Mars, including a 2023 snapshot of craters and cracks resembling a teddy bear and a 2019 image of the “Star Trek” Starfleet logo formed by wind, lava, and dunes.