NASA declares its Mars Maven spacecraft lifeless after six months of silence

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — After six months of radio silence, NASA’s Maven spacecraft at Mars has been declared lifeless.

The area company confirmed Wednesday that the mission had ended after greater than a decade of observations.

Launched in 2013 to check the crimson planet’s environment from orbit, Maven mysteriously fell silent in early December after passing behind Mars. Data indicated the spacecraft went into a quick spin, which disrupted its orbit and drained the onboard batteries.

A evaluate board convened by NASA earlier this 12 months concluded that the spacecraft is ineffective and unable to be recovered. An investigation continues into what precipitated the issue.

Besides finding out Martian climate and observing a stray interstellar comet final 12 months, Maven helped relay data from NASA’s Curiosity and Perseverance rovers on the floor.

Maven’s lead scientist, Shannon Curry of the University of Colorado Boulder, mentioned the spacecraft made quite a lot of “amazing discoveries.”

Maven “has truly advanced our understanding of the Martian atmosphere and evolution,” she mentioned in an announcement.

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