
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA has lost contact with a spacecraft that has orbited Mars for more than a decade.
Maven abruptly stopped communicating to ground stations over the weekend. NASA said this week that it was working fine before it went behind the red planet. When it reappeared, there was only silence.
Launched in 2013, Maven began studying the upper Martian atmosphere and its interaction with the solar wind once reaching the red planet the following year. Scientists ended up blaming the sun for Mars losing most of its atmosphere to space over the eons, turning it from wet and warm to the dry and cold world it is today.
Maven also has served as a communication relay for NASA’s two Mars rovers, Curiosity and Perseverance.
Engineering investigations are underway, according to NASA.
NASA has two other spacecraft around Mars that are still active: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, launched in 2005, and Mars Odyssey, launched in 2001.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
LATEST POSTS
- 1
IDF strikes Shiraz petrochemical site, releases footage of attacks on Iranian air defenses - 2
5 Great Crossover Vehicles For Eco-friendliness In 2024 - 3
UPM Adhesive Materials plans new facility near New Delhi, India - 4
The Magnificence of Extraordinariness: Presenting Valuable Adornments and Gemstones - 5
Starfront Observatories: A haven for distant stargazers
Hezbollah fires over 600 times at Israel, IDF troops over last 24 hours
If you want a true taste of Italian paradise, head to Favignana
IDF says up to 90% of Iran’s weapons industry could be hit within days
How effective is the flu shot this year? New report shows promising results
What will the Artemis 2 astronauts eat during their historic moon mission? (video)
Figure out How to Really focus on Your Dental Inserts for Durable Outcomes
Vote in favor of your Number one method for commending a birthday
A definitive Frozen yogurt Standoff: Which Flavor Rules?
Director of Swiss hospital describes the rush to treat the injured from Alpine resort bar fire













