Washington, DC: NASA has temporarily lost contact with its Mars probe Maven, with engineers working to re-establish communication, according to the US space agency. A NASA spokesperson said no regular data has been received from the spacecraft for nearly two weeks.
A brief signal fragment received by the mission team suggests that Maven may have rotated in an unexpected manner, which could have disrupted its ability to communicate with Earth. Further analysis is ongoing to determine the exact cause of the anomaly.
Launched in late 2013, Maven has been orbiting Mars for about a decade and has played a crucial role in studying the planet’s atmosphere. The spacecraft has provided valuable insights into how Mars lost much of its atmosphere over time, helping scientists better understand the planet’s climatic history.
Despite the communication issue with Maven, NASA continues to operate several other missions around and on Mars. These include the Mars Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter in orbit, along with the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers exploring the Martian surface.
