NASA | Voices of MAVEN

Bruce Jakosky, the principal investigator of the MAVEN mission, discusses the mission's goals to study Mars' atmosphere and its evolution. The mission involves a large, distributed team collaborating across various institutions. Jakosky shares his excitement about the mission, drawing on his experience with previous Mars orbiters. MAVEN aims to explore Mars' atmosphere, offering insights into its history and implications for future Mars exploration and Earth's understanding. The mission represents a significant step in Mars exploration, focusing on atmospheric studies and potential life-supporting conditions.

What is the primary objective of the MAVEN mission?

• To investigate the role of atmospheric loss in Mars' history

• To search for water on Mars

• To explore the Martian moons

• To study the surface of Mars

Which institutions are involved in the MAVEN mission?

• University of Colorado, Lockheed Martin, and NASA Goddard

• Harvard, Boeing, and ESA

• Stanford, Blue Origin, and ISRO

• MIT, SpaceX, and JPL

What excites Bruce Jakosky about the MAVEN mission?

• The chance to build new spacecraft

• The collaboration and teamwork involved

• The potential to find life on Mars

• The opportunity to travel to Mars

How does the MAVEN mission differ from previous Mars missions?

• It is the first mission to Mars

• It focuses on the Martian surface

• It aims to land humans on Mars

• It examines the Martian atmosphere

What makes the MAVEN mission a significant step in understanding Mars?

• It will bring back samples from Mars

• It includes a full suite of instruments for atmospheric study

• It is the first mission to use solar power

• It plans to establish a Mars colony