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After 11 years at Mars, NASA's MAVEN spacecraft went out with a whisper
NASA's MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) spacecraft has ended after more than 11 years in orbit at Mars, far exceeding its original one-year mission. The spacecraft was last heard from on
NASA's MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) spacecraft has ended after more than 11 years in orbit at Mars, far exceeding its original one-year mission. The spacecraft was last heard from on December 6 after experiencing an unexpected loss of signal while passing behind the planet. A review board concluded that the spacecraft entered an uncontrollable high-speed rotation that drained its batteries, leaving MAVEN in an unrecoverable state.
Source: Ars Technica | 2026-06-04