Like 'the loss of a loved one': NASA's Mars orbiter MAVEN is officially dead after months of radio silence

Key Points:

• NASA has officially declared the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) satellite dead after months of unsuccessful attempts to reestablish contact following a December 2022 incident that caused the spacecraft to enter safe mode and lose power.
• MAVEN, launched in November 2013 and operational for over a decade, was originally intended for a one-year mission but extended due to its successful performance, becoming a leading observer of atmospheric escape on Mars.
• The cause of MAVEN's failure is still under investigation, with the anomaly review board concluding the spacecraft likely lost power within hours of the December incident, rendering it unrecoverable.
• MAVEN's loss leaves only two NASA orbiters active around Mars: Mars Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, both exceeding their original mission lifetimes, while MAVEN had also served as a vital communications relay for Mars rovers.
• Despite the mission's end, the extensive data collected by MAVEN will continue to provide valuable scientific insights into Mars' atmosphere and its evolution for decades to come.