Mars spacecraft mysteriously goes silent, NASA investigating
The satellite has been in orbit around Mars since 2014
Scientists with NASA have lost contact with a spacecraft that’s investigated Mars’ upper atmosphere for the past decade.
The MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN) spacecraft reportedly worked fine before orbiting behind the red planet on Dec. 6.
DON’T MISS: NASA rover hears tiny crackles of thunder and lightning on Mars
“After the spacecraft emerged from behind Mars, NASA’s Deep Space Network did not observe a signal,” the agency said in a press release on Dec. 9.
Officials added that “the spacecraft and operations teams are investigating the anomaly to address the situation.”
MAVEN reached orbit around Mars on Sept. 21, 2014, to study the composition of the planet’s upper atmosphere.
RELATED: Scientists make discovery about Mars' mysterious, planet-circling dust storms
These studies were primarily designed to help scientists analyze the escape rate of the atmosphere into outer space. This data can help experts understand what Mars’ atmosphere may have looked like in the past.
During its first decade of service, MAVEN completed more than 22,000 orbits and snapped more than 10,000 ultraviolet images of the planet.
The spacecraft is one of five ongoing NASA missions on or around Mars. Mars Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter remain operational as they orbit the planet, while the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers continue their missions on the ground.
Header image courtesy of NASA.