NASA has officially lost contact with a spacecraft that has been orbiting Mars since 2014.

The MAVEN spacecraft – Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution – abruptly lost contact with Earth on 6 December 2025 while passing behind the red planet in the normal course of its orbit. When MAVEN re-emerged from behind Mars, however, NASA ground control was unable to reestablish a connection.

On December 9, the space agency announced it is investigating the issue and attempting to locate a signal.

All systems had been working normally before MAVEN passed behind Mars.

Related: NASA Fixes Malfunctioning Spacecraft The Same Way You Fix Your Troublesome Laptop

MAVEN is one of a fleet of seven orbiters currently actively observing Mars. It launched from Earth in 2013 and reached Mars orb

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