Konstantin Sukharnikov Scientific instrumentation

A hobby. An independent overview compiled from public sources by a science and space enthusiast. I am not involved in these missions or facilities; my own work is detector electronics at European XFEL. My projects →

Mission · Mars

MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN)

Orbiter and relay for the Mars rovers

Status
Lost
Launched
18 Nov 2013
Target
Mars (upper atmosphere)
Agencies
NASA, GSFC, LASP

Summary

Studied how Mars lost its atmosphere and relayed data from the rovers.

Now as of 3 Nov 2026

The mission has ended. Contact was lost on 6 December 2025 after the spacecraft passed behind Mars; it had entered safe mode and was spinning fast. After solar conjunction (until 16 January 2026) contact could not be restored, and in early June 2026 NASA declared the mission over (Wikipedia, AIAA). As a result, NASA's remaining orbiters at Mars are MRO and Mars Odyssey; ESA's ExoMars TGO also relays data.

Key dates

  1. 18 Nov 2013Launch (Atlas V)done
  2. 22 Sep 2014Mars orbit insertiondone
  3. 6 Dec 2025Contact lostfailed
  4. 3 Jun 2026End of mission declaredfailed

Timeline

  1. 3 Jun 2026NASA declares the mission over — Wikipedia
  2. 23 Mar 2026Efforts to re-establish contact continue — AIAA
  3. 6 Dec 2025Contact lost — ScienceAlert