After 11 years at Mars, NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft went out with a whisper NASA has officially ended its search for the MAVEN spacecraft, which lost contact with Earth after passing behind Mars. The spacecraft was found to be spinning rapidly, likely draining its batteries and leading to the mission’s end. Despite the loss, MAVEN’s scientific contributions to understanding Martian atmospheric escape and its role as a data relay for rovers are significant.

• NASA has ceased efforts to search for the MAVEN spacecraft and will decommission the mission.
• MAVEN lost contact with Earth during a routine occultation behind Mars, an event that was expected to be brief.
• Recovered telemetry data indicates MAVEN was spinning at approximately 2.7 revolutions per minute, faster than expected, suggesting a critical failure.
• This rapid spin likely caused the spacecraft to lose power, draining its batteries.
• MAVEN was a successful mission, studying Mars’ atmospheric escape and outliving its prime mission by 11 years.
• The spacecraft also served as a crucial data relay for NASA’s rovers and landers on the Martian surface.
• While NASA has other orbiters for relay, MAVEN’s higher orbit made it particularly valuable for transmitting large data volumes.
• NASA is seeking commercial solutions for a future Mars Telecommunications Network to replace the current relay capabilities.
• MAVEN’s scientific legacy is considered secure, with significant discoveries about atmospheric sputtering and response to solar storms. Continue reading https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/06/after-11-years-at-mars-nasas-maven-spacecraft-went-out-with-a-whisper/