The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission is the first mission devoted to understanding the Martian upper atmosphere. The mission’s goal is to explore the planet’s upper atmosphere, ionosphere, and interactions with the Sun and solar wind. Scientists are using MAVEN data to determine the loss rate of water and other gases from the Martian atmosphere to space today and to extrapolate what the loss rate may have been in the past. Understanding atmospheric loss will give scientists insight into the history of Mars’ atmosphere and climate, liquid water, and planetary habitability.

The main MAVEN site is at the University of Colorado’s Laboratory for Atmospheric Physics (LASP).

NASA’s Website