TL;DR
NASA has not heard from the MAVEN orbiter since December 6; last tracking data suggested the spacecraft was tumbling and its orbit may have shifted. Engineers used Curiosity's Mastcam to try to image MAVEN on December 16 and 20 but saw nothing, and an upcoming Mars solar conjunction will pause recovery efforts until January 16, 2026.
What happened
NASA lost contact with the MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN) orbiter after telemetry on December 6. The final tracking fragment recovered by engineers indicated the vehicle was rotating and that its orbital trajectory might have changed, complicating attempts to point ground antennas or other Mars assets at it. Teams deployed the Mastcam on the Curiosity rover to search MAVEN’s predicted reference orbit on December 16 and 20, but the instrument did not detect the orbiter. With the Sun moving between Earth and Mars in a solar conjunction from December 29 until January 16, 2026, NASA will suspend commanding and further contact attempts during that window. Agency staff have not confirmed whether MAVEN entered a protective safe mode, and an industry source told The Register that the spacecraft appears not to have reached that state. NASA plans to resume recontact efforts after conjunction.
Why it matters
- If engineers cannot determine MAVEN’s current position, directing recovery commands from Earth or via other Mars assets becomes much harder.
- The solar conjunction halts uplink and routine contact with all Mars missions between Dec. 29 and Jan. 16, 2026, delaying any immediate recovery steps.
- MAVEN has been an orbital asset since September 2014; loss or prolonged silence would reduce Mars atmospheric science and communications redundancy.
- Without thruster firings to maintain it, the orbiter’s path will decay and ultimately lead to atmospheric entry and burn-up.
Key facts
- Last confirmed contact with MAVEN occurred on December 6, 2025.
- Final tracking data suggested the spacecraft was tumbling and that its orbit may have changed.
- Curiosity’s Mastcam was pointed at MAVEN’s reference orbit on December 16 and December 20; no detection was reported.
- Mars solar conjunction runs from December 29, 2025, until January 16, 2026, during which NASA pauses commanding to Mars spacecraft.
- NASA has not confirmed whether MAVEN entered safe mode after the anomaly.
- An industry source told The Register that if MAVEN were in safe mode, controllers would likely have had more success communicating with it.
- MAVEN has been in orbit since September 2014 and is operating under an extended mission.
- If thrusters remain unused, the probe’s orbit will deteriorate and it will eventually burn up in Mars’ atmosphere; some hardware could reach the surface.
What to watch next
- NASA’s planned resumption of contact attempts after the solar conjunction ends on January 16, 2026.
- Whether controllers can refine MAVEN’s location or acquire new tracking data once conjunction ends.
- Confirmation on whether MAVEN entered safe mode — not confirmed in the source.
- Findings from any investigations into Guidance, Navigation and Control systems or attitude sensors as possible causes — not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- Solar conjunction: An alignment in which the Sun lies nearly between Earth and another planet, temporarily disrupting reliable radio communications.
- Mastcam: A camera system mounted on the mast of a rover used to image the surface and sky; here used to look for an orbiter in the expected orbit path.
- Safe mode: A spacecraft state that shuts down non-essential systems and awaits instructions after detecting a fault, intended to preserve critical functions.
- Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC): The systems and algorithms that determine a spacecraft’s orientation and orbital trajectory and command thrusters or reaction wheels.
- Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU): A sensor package that measures acceleration and rotation rates to support navigation and attitude control.
Reader FAQ
Has NASA regained contact with MAVEN?
No. The last contact was on December 6, 2025, and no successful recontact has been reported.
Did Curiosity’s Mastcam spot MAVEN?
No. Imaging on December 16 and 20 did not detect the orbiter.
Is MAVEN in safe mode?
Not confirmed in the source.
When will NASA try again to contact MAVEN?
NASA will resume attempts after the Mars solar conjunction ends on January 16, 2026.
SCIENCE 2 NASA tries Curiosity rover's Mastcam to work out where MAVEN might be Time running out for savin' MAVEN as stricken spacecraft still silent as Mars solar conjunction nears…
Sources
- NASA tries Curiosity rover's Mastcam to work out where MAVEN might be
- NASA's MAVEN spacecraft is still silent at Mars
- NASA Teams Work MAVEN Spacecraft Signal Loss
- NASA Has Lost Contact With the MAVEN Mars Orbiter
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