
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
Addressing sleep apnea early might decrease chances of developing Parkinson's disease - 2
West Bank man indicted for extortion, impersonation of IAF pilot, Mossad agent, illegal entry - 3
'The Boys' Season 5 premiere: How to watch for less, what to know about the final series and more - 4
The most effective method to Succeed in Your Profession with a Web based Advertising Degree - 5
Netanyahu leads meeting on West Bank riots, Katz defends axing administrative detention for Jews
Best Exciting ride: Which One Rushes You the Most?
Dominating Online Entertainment Showcasing: 7 Hints for Organizations
RFK Jr. guts the US childhood vaccine schedule despite its decades-long safety record
Famous SUVs With Low Energy Utilization In 2024
The Excursion to Monetary Proficiency: Individual budget Triumphs
6 Fledgling Cameras for 2024: Ideal for New Photographic artists
IDF strikes Tehran command centers, weapon production sites
Every year, she thanks the trooper for the arrest that led to her sobriety
How stripping diversity, equity and inclusion from health care may make Americans sicker













