NASA Races to Restore Contact With MAVEN Mars Orbiter After Weeks of Silence

NASA has resumed efforts to reestablish contact with its MAVEN spacecraft as Mars missions come back online after solar conjunction, a period when the Sun blocks communication between Earth and the Red Planet. Engineers are currently transmitting commands using NASA’s Deep Space Network and the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Observatory. The spacecraft, which is designed to observe Mars’ upper atmosphere, was last heard from on Dec. 6. Mission teams say renewed contact attempts are critical to understanding the spacecraft’s condition and restoring normal operations if possible.

NASA Analyzes Recovered Data as Contact With MAVEN Spacecraft Remains Lost

According to a NASA science report, engineers are also studying small pieces of data recovered during a radio science campaign conducted on December 6. These data snippets are being examined to build a timeline of events that may explain why communication stopped. NASA has mentioned that the information will help identify possible technical issues that affected the spacecraft.
The MAVEN team is still listening every day, transmitting repetitive signals in the hope of getting at least a weak response. Mars-mission experts are aware that delayed responses can happen after the solar conjunction, but prolonged silence needs to be reviewed and fixed.

NASA Forms Anomaly Review Board to Assess MAVEN’s Status at Mars

MAVEN has been orbiting Mars since 2014, and its work is instrumental in understanding how the planet lost most of its atmosphere over time. Scientists say the mission has reshaped understanding of Mars’ climate history and its shift from a warmer past to its present cold state.

NASA has stated that a formal anomaly review board is being established to look into the available data. Recovery efforts will proceed cautiously as teams attempt to assess the spacecraft‘s condition, officials mentioned.