A Review of the Scientific Payloads of the MAVEN Mission and Their Observational Contributions

Abstract: Launched in 2013, NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission is the first dedicated mission to study the upper atmosphere and climate evolution of Mars. It contains eight instruments which are organized into three payload packages: the Particles and Fields Package (PFP), the Remote Sensing Package (RSP), and the Neutral Gas and Ion Mass spectrometer (NGIMS). They measure solar wind interactions, ionospheric dynamics, and atmospheric composition which provide critical insights into processes driving atmospheric escape. MAVEN has revealed how solar forcing and seasonal variability contribute to long-term loss of volatile species. This paper aims to present a concise description of MAVEN’s payloads and their role in advancing our understanding of the Martian atmosphere and its evolution.