Lost in space: Nasa’s Mars probe Maven declared dead after months of silence

Mars with Maven probe illustration (Alamy/PA)

Nasa’s Maven spacecraft has been declared dead after six months of radio silence.

The space agency confirmed on Wednesday that the mission had ended after more than a decade of observations of Mars.

Launched in 2013 to study the red planet’s atmosphere from orbit, Maven mysteriously fell silent in early December after passing behind Mars.

Data indicated the spacecraft went into a fast spin, which disrupted its orbit and drained the onboard batteries.

Photos of Mars taken by Nasa’s Maven spacecraft (Nasa/AP)

A review board convened by Nasa earlier this year concluded the spacecraft is useless and unable to be recovered.

An investigation continues into what caused the problem.

Besides studying Martian weather and observing a stray interstellar comet last year, Maven helped relay information from Nasa’s Curiosity and Perseverance rovers on the surface.

Maven’s lead scientist, Shannon Curry of the University of Colorado Boulder, said the spacecraft made a number of “amazing discoveries”.

Maven “has truly advanced our understanding of the Martian atmosphere and evolution”, she said in a statement.