NASA ends MAVEN mission after Mars orbiter goes silent

NASA has officially concluded the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission after the orbiter went silent for nearly six months. The last successful communication with MAVEN was in December, but the spacecraft went unresponsive during its passage behind Mars. This mission was crucial for studying the upper atmosphere of Mars and understanding how it has changed over time. While it's a significant loss, it marks the end of a valuable chapter in Mars exploration and opens the door for future missions to build on this knowledge.