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NASA's MAVEN Goes Dark: Communication Attempts Resume Soon

1/3/2026

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Summary

Story summary

NASA's MAVEN lost communication on December 6, 2025 after re-emerging from behind Mars, when officials say the spacecraft was spinning unexpectedly.
NASA will resume communication attempts on January 16, 2026 after a temporary blackout.
InSight operated from 2018 until December 2022, and is now studied as dust accumulates on its solar panels.
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter images show how quickly the environment erases traces of human technology.

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Story summary

NASA's MAVEN lost communication on December 6, 2025 after re-emerging from behind Mars, when officials say the spacecraft was spinning unexpectedly.
NASA will resume communication attempts on January 16, 2026 after a temporary blackout.
InSight operated from 2018 until December 2022, and is now studied as dust accumulates on its solar panels.
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter images show how quickly the environment erases traces of human technology.