NASA has temporarily lost contact with the MAVEN spacecraft orbiting Mars. The agency is investigating a possible rotation issue and is working to restore communication. No fresh update has been released so far, and other Mars missions remain unaffected.
The U.S. space agency NASA has lost contact with its Mars probe MAVEN. The agency said work is ongoing to restore communication.
A NASA spokesperson told the German news agency DPA that no regular data has been received from the spacecraft for about two weeks. Engineers are checking the situation and trying to reconnect.
Communication issue under review
According to NASA, a short signal fragment was detected during this period. This signal suggests the spacecraft may have rotated in a way that was not planned. Officials have not confirmed the exact cause and said more checks are needed.
MAVEN was launched in late 2013 and has been orbiting Mars for nearly ten years. The mission focuses on studying the planet’s upper atmosphere and how it has changed over time.
The first #MAVEN TCM, that will correct for built-in error, is scheduled for early December (TCM-1) | pic.twitter.com/9MBURQH9BF
— MAVEN Mission to Mars (@MAVEN2Mars) November 21, 2013
Other missions at Mars continue
NASA said its other Mars missions are operating as normal. These include the orbiters Mars Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, along with the surface rovers Curiosity and Perseverance.
The agency did not report any impact on these missions due to the MAVEN issue.
What we know so far
NASA has confirmed the loss of regular contact with MAVEN for around two weeks. A brief signal suggests a rotation issue, but the cause is still unclear. Engineers are actively trying to restore communication. As of now, NASA has not released any new update on whether contact has been re-established.
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