What happened to NASA's Maven Mars orbiter?

NASA lost contact with the Maven spacecraft over the weekend after more than a decade of orbiting Mars.

When was the Maven spacecraft launched?

The Maven spacecraft was launched in 2013 and reached Mars in 2014.

Are there other NASA spacecraft still active on Mars?

Yes, NASA has two other active spacecraft around Mars: the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Odyssey.

Home / Science / Mars Mystery: Maven Orbiter Stops Communicating

Mars Mystery: Maven Orbiter Stops Communicating

11 Dec, 2025

•

Summary

NASA lost contact with the Maven spacecraft over the weekend.
Maven studied Mars' upper atmosphere and solar wind interaction.
Two other NASA spacecraft remain active around Mars.

Mars Mystery: Maven Orbiter Stops Communicating

NASA has announced a loss of contact with the Maven spacecraft, which has been a dedicated orbiter of Mars for more than ten years. Communication ceased abruptly over the past weekend. Before going silent, the spacecraft was reportedly functioning normally.

Launched in 2013, Maven was instrumental in investigating the Martian upper atmosphere and its behavior when interacting with solar winds. Its research contributed to understanding how Mars lost its atmosphere over eons, transforming from a potentially wet and warm planet to its current cold, dry state.

In addition to its scientific contributions, Maven served as a critical communication link for NASA's Curiosity and Perseverance rovers operating on the Martian surface. Engineering investigations are currently underway to determine the cause of the communication loss. NASA confirms that two other spacecraft, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Odyssey, remain operational around Mars.