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NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Completes Mars Flyby, Advances Toward Metal-Rich Asteroid

NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Completes Mars Flyby, Advances Toward Metal-Rich Asteroid

NASA's Psyche spacecraft has successfully completed a flyby of Mars, coming within 2,864 miles of the planet's surface. This maneuver provided a gravity assist, boosting the spacecraft's speed by 1,000 miles per hour and adjusting its orbital plane. The spacecraft is now on course to reach the metal-rich asteroid Psyche, located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, by summer 2029. During the flyby, Psyche's instruments were calibrated, capturing unique images of Mars and gathering data to prepare for its mission at the asteroid.

NASA Ceases Efforts to Recover MAVEN Spacecraft After Loss of Signal

NASA Ceases Efforts to Recover MAVEN Spacecraft After Loss of Signal

NASA has announced the cessation of efforts to recover the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft after it lost contact with Earth. The spacecraft, which had been orbiting Mars since 2014, was expected to re-establish communication after a routine occultation on December 6, 2025. However, the signal was never regained, prompting NASA to initiate contingency plans to restore contact. Despite these efforts, the mission was declared over, and decommissioning activities have begun. MAVEN was launched in 2013 to study the interaction between the Martian atmosphere and solar wind, and it exceeded its expected mission duration by several years. The exact cause of the communication failure remains unknown, though engineers have managed to recover some telemetry data that might provide insights into the spacecraft's final moments.

NASA Declares Mars Orbiter Maven Mission Over After Six Months of Silence

NASA Declares Mars Orbiter Maven Mission Over After Six Months of Silence

NASA has officially declared the end of its Maven spacecraft mission around Mars after the orbiter fell silent for six months. Launched in 2013, Maven was tasked with studying the Martian atmosphere. The spacecraft stopped communicating in early December after passing behind Mars, and data suggested it went into a fast spin, disrupting its orbit and depleting its batteries. A review board concluded that the spacecraft is beyond recovery. Despite its current state, Maven is expected to remain in orbit for another 50 to 100 years before eventually crashing into Mars, posing no threat to other missions.

Researchers Propose Moon as Biocontainment Site for Mars Samples to Protect Earth

Researchers Propose Moon as Biocontainment Site for Mars Samples to Protect Earth

A team of researchers, including Frederick Moxley from STAR Laboratories and Anthony Ricciardi from McGill University, is advocating for the use of the moon as a secure biocontainment site for extraterrestrial samples, particularly from Mars. The proposal suggests that the moon's naturally sterile and isolated environment could serve as a first line of biological defense against potentially harmful organisms to Earth's biosphere. This idea is detailed in a paper published in the journal Ambio. The researchers emphasize the need for rigorous biosafety standards as space exploration becomes more competitive, with both government agencies and private companies expanding missions beyond Earth. They argue that extraterrestrial materials should first be transported to a secure lunar-based quarantine and research facility rather than directly to Earth to prevent unpredictable ecological consequences.

NASA announces end of long-operating Mars probe's mission

NASA announces end of long-operating Mars probe's mission

By Will Dunham WASHINGTON, May 29 (Reuters) - NASA announced on Tuesday the end of the mission of its MAVEN spacecraft, which spent more than 11 years orbiting Mars to study the atmosphere of Earth's planetary neighbor, after losing contact with the robotic probe six months ago.

NASA Ends MAVEN Mission After Loss of Communication with Mars Orbiter

NASA Ends MAVEN Mission After Loss of Communication with Mars Orbiter

NASA has concluded the mission of the MAVEN orbiter after losing contact with the spacecraft in December 2025. MAVEN, which stands for Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, was launched in 2013 to study the Martian atmosphere and its interaction with solar wind. Despite attempts to reset the spacecraft's systems, communication could not be reestablished. The orbiter provided valuable data on atmospheric escape processes, such as 'sputtering,' which have implications for understanding Mars' climate history and atmospheric evolution. The mission, initially planned for one year, was extended multiple times due to its success in gathering critical scientific data.

NASA Concludes Maven Mars Mission After Loss of Contact

NASA Concludes Maven Mars Mission After Loss of Contact

NASA has officially concluded the Maven Mars mission following the loss of contact with the spacecraft last December. Former NASA Astronaut José Hernández discussed the mission's history and its contributions to our understanding of Mars. The Maven mission, which was launched to study the Martian atmosphere, provided valuable data on the planet's climate and atmospheric composition. Despite the mission's end, the insights gained have significantly advanced scientific knowledge about Mars, contributing to future exploration efforts.

NASA Concludes MAVEN Mission After 11 Years of Martian Exploration

NASA Concludes MAVEN Mission After 11 Years of Martian Exploration

NASA has officially ended the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission after more than 11 years of operation. The spacecraft, which was the first dedicated to studying the Martian atmosphere, lost contact with NASA's Deep Space Network on December 6, 2025, after passing behind Mars. An anomaly review board determined that the spacecraft is unrecoverable due to a high rotation rate that drained its batteries, leading to a loss of communication. MAVEN's mission, which began in November 2013, provided significant insights into the Martian atmosphere, including the effects of solar storms and atmospheric loss. The mission also played a crucial role in relaying data from Mars rovers to Earth.

Radio scans find no alien tech from the latest interstellar comet

Radio scans find no alien tech from the latest interstellar comet

The group leading the charge in the search for extraterrestrial life has given the all clear

NASA Concludes MAVEN Mars Mission After 11 Years, Hosts Media Call

NASA Concludes MAVEN Mars Mission After 11 Years, Hosts Media Call

NASA has officially concluded the MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) mission after more than 11 years of operation. The spacecraft, which was dedicated to studying the Martian atmosphere, lost signal on December 6, following an unexpected disruption in its orbit. An anomaly review board determined that MAVEN is no longer recoverable due to drained batteries and loss of communication power. Despite the end of the mission, MAVEN has provided significant insights into Mars' atmospheric evolution, including the effects of solar storms and atmospheric sputtering. NASA will host a media teleconference to discuss the mission's achievements and the decommissioning process.

NASA Concludes MAVEN Mission After Over a Decade of Martian Exploration

NASA Concludes MAVEN Mission After Over a Decade of Martian Exploration

NASA has officially concluded the MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) mission after more than 11 years of studying the Martian atmosphere. The spacecraft, which was part of NASA's Mars Exploration Program, lost signal on December 6 after passing behind Mars. MAVEN's mission was to understand the Martian atmosphere's evolution and its impact on the planet's climate. A media teleconference was held to discuss the mission's achievements, featuring key NASA officials and scientists from the University of Colorado Boulder.

NASA Declares MAVEN Mars Orbiter Mission Over After Communication Loss

NASA Declares MAVEN Mars Orbiter Mission Over After Communication Loss

NASA has officially declared the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) satellite mission over after months of unsuccessful attempts to reestablish contact. MAVEN, which launched in November 2013, was instrumental in studying Mars' atmosphere and its evolution. The last communication from MAVEN was received on December 6, 2025, before it went behind Mars and subsequently lost power due to an uncontrollable spin. Despite efforts to regain contact, the satellite remains unresponsive. MAVEN's mission, originally planned for one year, was extended for over a decade, contributing significantly to Mars research. The loss leaves NASA with two operational probes in Mars orbit: Mars Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.