NASA Loses Contact with Maven Mars Spacecraft, Urgent Investigations Underway
URGENT UPDATE: NASA has lost contact with its Maven spacecraft, which has been orbiting Mars since 2014. The spacecraft abruptly stopped communicating with ground stations over the weekend, leaving scientists in a race against time to determine the cause.
Maven was functioning normally before it passed behind Mars, but when it re-emerged, only silence greeted the team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Currently, engineering investigations are underway to troubleshoot the issue, and officials are working diligently to re-establish contact.
Launched in 2013, Maven has played a crucial role in studying the Martian atmosphere and its interaction with solar winds. This research has revealed why Mars transitioned from a warm, wet planet to the cold, arid world it is today. Additionally, Maven has served as a vital communication relay for NASA’s rovers, Curiosity and Perseverance.
NASA still operates two other active spacecraft around Mars: the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, launched in 2005, and Mars Odyssey, which has been in orbit since 2001. However, the loss of Maven raises concerns about the continuity of Mars exploration and data collection.
Stay tuned for updates as NASA continues its investigation into this significant incident. The space community and science enthusiasts alike are hoping for a swift resolution to restore communication with Maven.
