After 11 years in the orbit, NASA loses signal with Mars orbiter "MAVEN"

NASA has confirmed it lost contact with Mars orbiter MAVEN. (Image: NASA/GSFC)

NASA has confirmed it lost contact with Mars orbiter MAVEN. The signal disappeared while the spacecraft passed behind the Red Planet. Teams are now working urgently to diagnose and restore communications.

The signal of MAVEN dropped on 6 December 2025 during routine orbit manoeuvres. Ground stations could not reconnect after the spacecraft reappeared on schedule. NASA publicly confirmed the issue and began troubleshooting immediately. The event interrupts MAVEN’s data relay and ongoing scientific observations. Engineers are analysing telemetry and spacecraft systems for possible anomalies.

The signal loss may result from technical or orbital issues. Passing behind Mars sometimes interrupts communication temporarily with Earth stations. Engineers are investigating onboard systems, antennas, and power systems thoroughly. NASA may attempt reboots or alternative ground station links to reconnect. No final cause has yet been confirmed by mission teams.

MAVEN has orbited Mars since 2014 studying the upper atmosphere. It tracks how solar wind strips gases from the Martian sky. The orbiter helped explain how Mars lost most of its water. MAVEN also relays data from surface rovers back to Earth efficiently. Its research is vital for understanding Mars’ climate and planetary evolution.

NASA continues work to restore MAVEN’s communication urgently and safely. Other Mars orbiters like MRO and Mars Odyssey remain operational backups. These orbiters can partially relay data from rovers while MAVEN is offline. Restoring MAVEN is critical for high-resolution atmospheric and solar wind studies. The agency will update the public as soon as progress is made.

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Odyssey continue collecting data normally. These orbiters can partially relay surface mission communications temporarily. Backup systems reduce disruption to ongoing exploration and science operations. However, MAVEN’s unique instruments cannot be fully replaced by backups.