NASA is expressing deep concern regarding the chances of reestablishing contact with MAVEN, the Mars spacecraft that has been silent for over a month now.
In a recent update, officials indicated that it is "very unlikely" they will be able to regain communication with MAVEN, which stands for Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution. The last known interaction with the spacecraft occurred on December 6, when it failed to reconnect after moving behind Mars from Earth’s perspective. An analysis of the data collected during a radio science experiment revealed troubling signs: MAVEN appeared to be tumbling and was no longer following its intended orbit.
During a presentation at the Small Bodies Assessment Group meeting in Baltimore on January 13, Louise Prockter, who oversees NASA's planetary science division, shared that their attempts to regain contact have not yielded any success so far. These efforts included two attempts to use Curiosity rover’s camera to capture images of MAVEN as it passed above, assuming it was still on course. Unfortunately, these attempts proved fruitless. Prockter lamented, "So far, we have not been able to locate the spacecraft. It is no longer in its nominal orbit," emphasizing the challenges they face.
Complicating recovery efforts is the current solar conjunction period, during which Mars is obscured by the sun, disrupting radio communications. As a result, NASA halted communication with all Martian missions starting December 29 and plans to resume on January 16.
Prockter noted that once communication resumes, they will make renewed attempts to reach out to MAVEN but cautioned that the likelihood of recovering the spacecraft is grim. "We will start looking again, but at this point, it’s looking very unlikely that we are going to be able to recover the spacecraft," she stated, highlighting the serious nature of the situation.
MAVEN was launched in November 2013 and successfully entered orbit around Mars in September 2014. Its primary mission focused on studying the planet's upper atmosphere and how it interacts with solar wind, including the processes by which atmospheric gases escape into space. After successfully completing its main scientific objectives, MAVEN has continued to operate on an extended mission for several years.
Additionally, the orbiter has played a crucial role in facilitating communication between various surface missions, including the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers, and Earth. Prockter reassured that if MAVEN is indeed lost, other orbiters would step in to support communications. "It is not a major part of our Mars relay network," she explained, adding, "We are taking steps to ensure we can retrieve data from the rovers operating on Mars."
The potential loss of MAVEN would be yet another blow to the Mars scientific community, which is grappling with the recent cancellation of the Mars Sample Return (MSR) program. A proposed appropriations bill for fiscal year 2026 aligns with NASA’s decision to cancel MSR, though it allocates $110 million for developing technologies related to future Mars missions.
The Mars Sample Return mission was identified as the top priority in the latest planetary science decadal survey, although the report advised that it should only proceed if it does not upset the overall balance of NASA's planetary science initiatives. Prockter later confirmed at the meeting, "We do not have any plans to change the priorities of the decadal. Mars Sample Return is still the number-one priority of this decade."
With the expected cancellation of the Mars Sample Return project, the only future Mars mission currently funded is the Mars Telecommunications Orbiter. A budget reconciliation bill passed in July 2025 allocated $700 million to assist in developing this spacecraft, which is intended to address future communication needs for Mars exploration. However, NASA has not yet disclosed its strategy for acquiring this orbiter, even though the legislation mandates its completion by the end of 2028, though launching it is not required within that timeframe.
