MAVEN
The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission was the first mission devoted to understanding the Martian upper atmosphere. The mission ended after more than 11 years in orbit — a decade beyond its primary, one-year mission — after it experienced an unexpected loss of signal Dec. 6, 2025, while passing behind the Red Planet.
Type
Launch / Orbit Insertion
Target
Objective
NASA Says Farewell to MAVEN, Declares End of Mission
The first mission devoted to observing the Martian atmosphere and its evolution, NASA’s MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution), has ended after more than 11 years in orbit at Mars and a decade beyond its primary, one-year mission.
The spacecraft was heard last on Dec. 6, when it experienced an unexpected loss of signal after it passed behind the Red Planet. A review board NASA convened in February to evaluate recovery efforts and assess MAVEN’s probable current state, determined that the spacecraft is not recoverable, and is no longer capable of performing its science and data relay mission.
Meet the MAVEN Orbiter
| MAVEN Mission Key Facts | |
|---|---|
| Launch | Nov. 18, 2013 |
| Launch Location | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida |
| Launch Vehicle | Atlas V01 |
| Mars Orbit Insertion | Sept. 21, 2014 (10:24 p.m. EDT) |
| Length | 37.5 feet (11.4 meters) |
| Width | 90 inches (2.29 meters) |
| Height | 11.4 feet (3.47 meters) |
| Mass | Dry (unfueled) mass at launch: 1,784 pounds (809 kilograms) Wet (fueled with hydrazine) mass at launch: 5,410 pounds (2,454 kilograms) Science payload: 143 pounds (65 kilograms) in eight instruments |
| Power | More than 2,000 solar cells on four panels cover 129 square feet (12m2) and generate between 1,150 and 1,700 watts (depending on spacecraft’s position in Mars orbit); solar panels power two 55-amp-hour lithium ion batteries. |
| High-gain Antenna | 6.56 feet (2 meters) in diameter |
| Communications | 14 pounds (6.5 kilograms). Electra UHF communications package to provide data relay from rovers and landers on Mars back to Earth. |
| Mission Duration | 12 years, 6 months, 16 days from launch to end of mission |
| End of Mission | Declared June 3, 2026, after contact had been lost since Dec. 6, 2025 |
Learn More About the MAVEN Mission
Citizen Science Project
Using data collected from MAVEN's Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph (IUVS), you can help answer questions about Mars' atmosphere and climate. Questions include:
- What are the daily, seasonal, or annual patterns in Martian cloud shapes and distributions?
- How well do cloud forms reflect prevailing wind patterns?
- Do the structural similarities between Earth's and Mars' cloud types point to similar formation mechanisms?
MAVEN: 10 Years at Mars
Download the commemorative poster
See the MAVEN Poster about MAVEN: 10 Years at Mars
Celebrating 10 Years at Mars with NASA’s MAVEN Mission
A decade ago, on Sept. 21, 2014, NASA’s MAVEN (Mars Atmospheric and Volatile EvolutioN) spacecraft entered orbit around Mars, beginning…
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