MAVEN bows out at Mars after a decade of atmospheric insight

1 min read
Source: Ars Technica
MAVEN bows out at Mars after a decade of atmospheric insight
Photo: Ars Technica
TL;DR Summary

NASA has decommissioned MAVEN, its 11-year Mars orbiter that studied how the planet’s atmosphere loses gas. After losing contact during a routine occultation, engineers could not restore the link, though some telemetry was recovered. MAVEN’s work illuminated atmospheric escape mechanisms such as sputtering and, in addition to science, it served as a crucial relay for Mars rovers. NASA plans a new Mars Telecommunications Network to replace the relay capability by the 2030s.

Share this article

Reading Insights

Total Reads

0

Unique Readers

3

Time Saved

9 min

vs 9 min read

Condensed

96%

1,78572 words

Want the full story? Read the original article

Read on Ars Technica