NASA loses MAVEN signal after 11 years; recovery efforts underway

• NASA lost contact with its Mars orbiter MAVEN on December 6, 2025, during routine orbit maneuvers behind the Red Planet.
• Teams are urgently working to diagnose and restore communications with the MAVEN spacecraft.
• MAVEN has been orbiting Mars since 2014, studying its upper atmosphere, how it lost water, and relaying data from surface rovers.
• The signal loss interrupts MAVEN’s vital scientific observations and data relay capabilities.
• Other Mars orbiters like MRO and Mars Odyssey remain operational and can partially relay data, but MAVEN's unique instruments are irreplaceable.

Why It Matters: MAVEN's signal loss impacts vital Mars climate research and rover data relay.