How much of the Martian atmosphere has escaped into space?
In short: Mars was once a world with a dense atmosphere and potentially liquid water. NASA's MAVEN mission was designed to solve the mystery of how this vital atmosphere vanished, measuring the current rate of escape to understand the planet's atmospheric evolution and past habitability.
The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission represents the first dedicated effort to study the Martian upper atmosphere. By measuring the current rate at which gases escape into space, scientists aim to gather enough data to extrapolate backward in time. By analysing these shifts, scientists can calculate the volume of atmosphere escaped throughout history and assess their impact on the planetary climate.
The spacecraft's primary scientific objective involves understanding how the Martian atmosphere responds to the Sun and solar wind. These interactions are key to explaining the loss of the atmosphere to space. Such findings are critical for determining the previous presence of liquid water on the surface and assessing the planet's potential for past habitability.
Launched on November 18, 2013, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the MAVEN orbiter entered Mars orbit on September 21, 2014. The mission's hardware includes an eight-instrument science payload, including the Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph (IUVS) and the Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer. The spacecraft is powered by over 2,000 solar cells covering 129 square feet, generating up to 1,700 watts of power.
While the mission has provided a wealth of data, its era is nearing its end. After losing contact with the spacecraft on December 6, 2025, NASA declared the end of the mission on June 3, 2026. The total mission duration, from launch to the end of the mission, is estimated at 12 years, 6 months, and 16 days.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Google+ Hangout NASA's Mars Atmosphere Volatile EvolutioN MAVEN
- Also: MAVEN - NASA Science
- Also: Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) | Goddard Engineering and Technology Directorate
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