
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA has lost contact with a spacecraft that has orbited Mars for more than a decade.
Maven abruptly stopped communicating to ground stations over the weekend. NASA said this week that it was working fine before it went behind the red planet. When it reappeared, there was only silence.
Launched in 2013, Maven began studying the upper Martian atmosphere and its interaction with the solar wind once reaching the red planet the following year. Scientists ended up blaming the sun for Mars losing most of its atmosphere to space over the eons, turning it from wet and warm to the dry and cold world it is today.
Maven also has served as a communication relay for NASA’s two Mars rovers, Curiosity and Perseverance.
Engineering investigations are underway, according to NASA.
NASA has two other spacecraft around Mars that are still active: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, launched in 2005, and Mars Odyssey, launched in 2001.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
latest_posts
- 1
Unfathomable and Entertaining Legal disputes That Surprise everyone - 2
Artemis 2 astronauts are about to see one of the rarest skywatching sights of all — a solar eclipse from beyond the moon - 3
Storm Goretti sweeps United Kingdom, France with winds over 120 mph - 4
SpaceX rocket launches 140 satellites into orbit on Transporter-15, aces landing at sea (video) - 5
Why most Jewish Israelis back the death penalty for terrorists
New materials, old physics – the science behind how your winter jacket keeps you warm
I’m a doctor. Here are 10 science-backed tips to help you get healthier.
23 Most Amusing Messages At any point Sent Among Youngsters and Their Folks
Israel reports killing another senior Iranian oil official
Pick Your Favored method of transportation
5 Wellbeing Applications Assist You With remaining Fit
Flu illness count nears 5 million, with New York City among the hardest hit
AI is making spacecraft propulsion more efficient – and could even lead to nuclear-powered rockets
CVS forecasts 2026 profit above estimates on strong performance













