NASA Logo in the header
Planetary Environments Laboratory 
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Operational

Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission (MAVEN)

The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission is the first orbiter devoted to understanding the Martian upper atmosphere. Research suggests suggests that Mars once had a thicker atmosphere and was warm enough for liquid water to flow on the surface. MAVEN's instruments are exploring Mars' upper atmosphere, ionosphere, and interactions with the sun and solar wind to determine the role played by loss of atmospheric gas to space in the evolution of the Martian climate through time. Goddard's Planetary Environments Laboratory developed MAVEN's Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer and the Planetary Magnetospheres Laboratory developed MAVEN's magnetometer. The MAVEN mission launched November 18, 2013.

Organizations
Launch Date

October 2013

Class

Flight Project

Websites


Key Staffs

Scientists will use MAVEN data to determine the role that loss of volatile compounds, such as CO2, NO2, and H2O, from the Mars atmosphere to space has played through time, giving insight into the history of Mars atmosphere and climate, liquid water, and planetary habitability. MAVEN will carry three instrument suites. The Particles and Fields Package, built by the University of California at Berkeley with support from CU/LASP and Goddard Space Flight Center, contains six instruments that will characterize the solar wind and the ionosphere of the planet. The Remote Sensing Package, built by CU/LASP, will determine global characteristics of the upper atmosphere and ionosphere.

The Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer, provided by Goddard Space Flight Center, will measure the composition and isotopes of neutral ions. Lockheed Martin, based in Littleton, Colorado, will provide the MAVEN spacecraft, as well as mission operations for the mission. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory will navigate the spacecraft. CU/LASP will provide science operations and data packaging.

Related Publications

2024. "Additions to Space Physics Data Facility and pysatNASA: Increasing Mars Global Surveyor and Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN Dataset Utility.", Data, 9 (11): 133 [10.3390/data9110133] [Journal Article/Letter]

2025. "Mach Number Scaling of Foreshock Magnetic Fluctuations at Quasi-parallel Bow Shocks and Their Role in Magnetospheric Driving Throughout the Solar System.", The Astrophysical Journal, 980 (1): 7 [10.3847/1538-4357/ada440] [Journal Article/Letter]

2023. "Will we find Martian lightning via Schumann resonances?.", Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, 10 [10.3389/fspas.2023.1162624] [Journal Article/Letter]

2019. "The Space Physics Environment Data Analysis System (SPEDAS).", Space Science Reviews, 215 (1): 9 [10.1007/s11214-018-0576-4] [Journal Article/Letter]

2021. "On the Growth and Development of Non‐Linear Kelvin–Helmholtz Instability at Mars: MAVEN Observations.", Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 126 (9): [10.1029/2021ja029224] [Journal Article/Letter]

Contact Us

For general inquiries about the Planetary Environments Laboratory .

Charles Malespin

Chief

301-614-6042 charles.a.malespin@nasa.gov
General inquiries about the scientific programs at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center may be directed to the Office of Public Affairs at 1.301.286.8955.