NASA ends MAVEN mission after Mars orbiter falls silent

NASA has officially ended its MAVEN mission, which was dedicated to studying Mars' atmosphere and its evolution, after losing contact with the orbiter for six months. Launched in 2014, MAVEN exceeded its initial design life of one to two years, operating for over a decade before falling silent in December 2025. This decision marks the conclusion of a significant chapter in Mars exploration, providing invaluable data that helped scientists understand the Red Planet's atmospheric loss and climate history. The end of the mission underscores the challenges and uncertainties inherent in long-term space exploration.