NASA's Maven spacecraft declared dead after mysteriously ceasing communications

NASA’s Maven spacecraft, launched in 2013 to study Mars’ atmosphere, has been declared defunct after six months of unexplained silence in communications. Maven reappeared after a maneuver behind Mars, then rapidly spun, depleting its batteries and ending operations. A NASA review board concluded the mission was beyond recovery, though investigators continue probing the exact cause of the malfunction. Maven celebrated its 10th orbital anniversary last year and contributed to weather studies of Mars while relaying data from Curiosity and Perseverance. The probe’s discontinuation marks the end of a decade of observations about Martian atmosphere and evolution, underscoring the challenges of long-duration deep-space missions.