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Today in History: NASA's MAVEN enters Mars orbit for atmosphere study

By Drooid · Sep 22, 2026, 10:32 AM UTC · How we work

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Summary

Story summary

On 22 September 2014, NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft successfully entered Mars orbit, beginning a mission to map the planet’s thin, carbon-dioxide-rich atmosphere and measure how solar wind strips away gases. By tracking atmospheric loss, MAVEN provides crucial data on Mars’ climate history and the long-term evolution of its water.

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Story summary

On 22 September 2014, NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft successfully entered Mars orbit, beginning a mission to map the planet’s thin, carbon-dioxide-rich atmosphere and measure how solar wind strips away gases. By tracking atmospheric loss, MAVEN provides crucial data on Mars’ climate history and the long-term evolution of its water.