NASA's MAVEN spacecraft declared lost to deep space after an unexpected loss of contact in December 2025; Decommissioning process has begun.

NASA has officially begun the decommissioning process for MAVEN after determining that the spacecraft is unrecoverable following a loss of signal in December 2025.

Launched in November 2013 to study the Martian atmosphere, MAVEN exceeded its initial one-year mission by a decade, providing critical data on how Mars lost its atmosphere over billions of years.

The orbiter's unexpected loss of contact was attributed to an uncontrollable spin that drained its battery, which left scientists unable to regain communication.

Despite no longer being operational, MAVEN's contributions have been invaluable. Its study of solar storms and atmospheric conditions has aided in the design of safer spacecraft and shielding systems for future human missions to Mars.

MAVEN’s unique tools, including an ultraviolet spectograph imager, provided invaluable insights through its data and unusually colored images of the Red Planet, enhancing scientific understanding of its atmosphere.

NASA announced that their critical mission has come to an end as they mourn the loss of one of their critical Martian research assets.

NASA has declared its MAVEN spacecraft lost to deep space following an unexpected loss of contact in December 2025, ending over 11 years of successful research on Mars' atmosphere. The decommissioning process has now commenced for the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution orbiter, which far exceeded its initial lifespan.