NASA is scrambling to restore communications with MAVEN, the Mars orbiter
that unexpectedly fell silent after passing behind the planet. The outage
threatens a vital relay link for robotic missions on the surface.

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Off the Map appeared first on Orbital Today.

https://orbitaltoday.com/2025/12/11/urgent-hunt-begins-as-nasas-essential-mars-orbiter-maven-drops-off-the-map/

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#^Urgent Hunt Begins as NASA’s Essential Mars Orbiter MAVEN Drops Off the Map

NASA has launched an urgent investigation after its MAVEN spacecraft — a cornerstone of Mars science and communications for more than ten years — abruptly stopped talking to Earth.

The orbiter, formally known as Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN, was expected to resume contact once it emerged from behind the Red Planet over the weekend. Instead, NASA’s Deep Space Network heard nothing.

“Telemetry showed all subsystems working normally before it orbited behind [Mars],” the agency said, adding: “The spacecraft and operations teams are investigating the anomaly to address the situation. More information will be shared once it becomes available.”

A Probe That Outlived Its Mission And Became Indispensable

Launched in 2013 and arriving at Mars the following year, MAVEN transformed scientific understanding of the Martian atmosphere. Its measurements revealed that solar wind gradually stripped the planet of its once-thick air, helping turn a warm, watery world into the frozen desert we see today.

But MAVEN’s role has long extended beyond science. It is one of NASA’s primary communications relays for the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers, a responsibility that has grown increasingly vital as surface missions continue to expand their workloads. Scientists rely on the orbiter to ferry data, including Perseverance’s rock-core sample updates and environmental readings, back to Earth.

Losing MAVEN, even temporarily, creates a gap NASA can ill afford. Of the four key relay orbiters in service, MAVEN is the youngest. The others — Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (2005) and Mars Odyssey (2001), along with ESA’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter — are ageing workhorses operating well past their intended lifetimes.

Deep-Space Silence With Precedent

This is not MAVEN’s first brush with trouble. In 2022, the spacecraft went into safe mode for three months after its inertial measurement units began behaving unpredictably. Engineers switched MAVEN to stellar navigation using star patterns to maintain orientation and successfully recovered the spacecraft.

That history offers hope, but also underscores the fragility of orbital assets at Mars. With no new American relay craft currently in service, NASA’s reliance on MAVEN has been steadily increasing. A proposed successor — the Mars Telecommunications Orbiter — recently re-entered planning with a $700 million allocation, but its timeline remains uncertain.

Stakes Rising for Surface Missions

Perseverance, which has collected 30 rock samples since landing in Jezero Crater in 2021, depends on orbital relays to transmit scientific observations and environmental data used to prepare future human missions. Curiosity also relies on these links for daily operations.

NASA is now working to diagnose the sudden communications blackout. For the moment, the agency has urged patience: “More information will be shared once it becomes available.”

Echoes of Its Beginning

When MAVEN launched in 2013, NASA administrator Charlie Bolden praised the mission team’s precision and resilience. “I hope this mission serves as a model for those that come after it,” he said.

A decade later, the spacecraft that exceeded every expectation is facing its toughest test yet, one that could reshape the future of Mars exploration if contact cannot be restored.

The post Urgent Hunt Begins as NASA’s Essential Mars Orbiter MAVEN Drops Off the Map appeared first on Orbital Today.