NASA has lost communication with its Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft.
The orbiter went silent in early December while operating around Mars.
Engineers are trying to restore contact to assess the spacecraft’s condition.
MAVEN has been crucial in studying how Mars lost its atmosphere over time.

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•  NASA loses contact with MAVEN Mars orbiter
•  Communication lost in early December
•  Spacecraft has operated for over 10 years
•  Engineers attempting to re-establish signal
•  MAVEN studies Mars’ upper atmosphere and ionosphere
•  Tracks interaction of sunlight and solar wind
•  Data explains how Mars lost water and atmosphere
•  Mission helped trace Mars’ shift to cold, dry planet
•  Current status of spacecraft remains unknown