Last week, NASA announced it lost contact with MAVEN, a critical probe studying Mars. This spacecraft has been in orbit since 2014, gathering vital information about the Martian atmosphere. Despite efforts by the mission team, there hasn’t been any communication since December 4. They did pick up a faint signal on December 6, indicating MAVEN was rotating unpredictably, which could mean its trajectory has changed.
NASA is currently analyzing the situation. “The team continues to look into tracking data to find out what might have happened,” they said. The hope is to reestablish contact soon.
MAVEN, launched in November 2013, has a significant role in understanding how Mars has lost its atmosphere over the years. It tracks current atmospheric conditions to estimate how much gas has escaped into space. This data is crucial for future Mars exploration.
MAVEN also helps communicate with rovers on the Martian surface, like Perseverance and Curiosity. Thankfully, other orbiters—like the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and ESA’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter—are still operational, allowing the rovers to continue their missions.
Interestingly, MAVEN has faced challenges before. In 2022, it had a brief communication blackout. When contact was restored, the team discovered issues with some of its navigation systems. They put MAVEN into “safe mode” and updated its software, allowing it to navigate using stars. This method has kept MAVEN functioning, but it seems to be disoriented again.
Originally, MAVEN was supposed to operate for just one year, but here we are in its eleventh year. If communication can be restored, the probe has enough fuel to keep working until at least the end of the decade. However, it faces another hurdle: the proposed NASA budget for 2026 plans to cut funding for missions like MAVEN that have exceeded their life expectancy.
Retiring MAVEN would mean losing a wealth of knowledge about Mars just as we’re beginning to understand it better. The urgency to reestablish contact is clear, and NASA will keep us updated as they attempt to reach MAVEN once more.
This situation highlights the ever-changing landscape of space exploration. As technology and missions evolve, the debate over funding for older missions comes into play. There’s a growing concern in the scientific community about preserving long-standing missions that continue to provide valuable insights, even if they’re past their prime.
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Mars missions,MAVEN,NASA
