NASA declares MAVEN Mars orbiter dead after months of failed communication attempts
By
Josh Dinner
Summary
NASA has officially declared its MAVEN Mars orbiter dead after months of failed attempts to reestablish contact. The solar-powered spacecraft went silent on Dec. 6, 2024, when its orbit took it behind Mars. Upon reemerging, telemetry showed it had entered safe mode and was tumbling uncontrollably, leading to a loss of power. MAVEN had been studying Mars' upper atmosphere and climate history since 2014, making significant contributions to understanding the planet's atmospheric loss and evolution.
Source
bskyNASA declares MAVEN Mars orbiter dead after months of failed communication attemptsspace.comKey quotes
· 3 pulled'The loss of MAVEN is like the loss of a loved one,' said one NASA engineer who worked on the mission.
'MAVEN transformed our understanding of Mars' atmosphere and how the planet lost its ability to support life,' the mission lead reflected.
'We tried everything to bring it back, but sometimes space wins,' a mission controller admitted.
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