NASA robots destined for Mars exploration will be next two weeks dependent on themselves. The space agency will not be able to reach them, which will make any communication impossible. The reason is quite simple – Mars and Earth have reached a position in their orbits that places them at opposite sides of the Sunthat is, into the conjunction known as solar conjunction. During this period, NASA says it is risky to try to send commands to its instruments on Mars because interference from the Sun could have harmful influence.
To avoid any potential problems, NASA planned to suspend issuing commands until the planets moved into more suitable positions. The break began on Saturday, November 11 and will continue until November 25. The conjunction of the Sun and Mars occurs every two yearsand while the rovers will be able to send home basic information about their status for most of this period, they will go completely silent for two days (when the Sun completely covers Mars).
That means the Perseverance and Curiosity rovers, the Ingenuity helicopter, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and the Odyssey and MAVEN orbiters will be left to themselves. Anyway, their on-board instruments will continue to collect data as part of our mission, but we will have to wait to send this information to Earth.
Source: engadget.com
