The Solar Conjunction Interrupts Communication with Mars
An annual astronomical event suspends all radio contact between our planet and the spacecraft operating on Mars. From late December until mid-January, the Sun positions itself directly between both worlds, a phenomenon that scientists call solar conjunction. NASA and other space agencies anticipate this period, as the dense solar corona can distort and damage any transmitted command. 🛰️
A Forced Silence for the Martian Robots
During these weeks, the solar plasma acts as an impenetrable barrier for signals. To protect the valuable equipment, controllers on Earth stop sending instructions. In automatic response, vehicles like the rovers Perseverance and Curiosity activate their contingency protocols. They enter autonomous safe mode, where they halt their scientific activities and only execute basic operations to maintain their stability and energy.
Measures taken by the missions:- Stop all scientific experiments and planned movements.
- Limit communications to conserve energy in the systems.
- Execute automatic internal diagnostics to monitor their health.
"We plan for these communication pauses. It's the price of exploring a planet that periodically hides behind our Sun," explains an operations engineer.
The Unsettling Uncertainty of the MAVEN Orbiter
This year, the situation generates more alert due to the status of the MAVEN orbiter. This spacecraft, key to studying the Martian atmosphere, stopped responding to commands on December 6, before the conjunction began. Its current orbit is unknown, and an attempt by the Curiosity rover to visually locate it in the Martian sky was unsuccessful. The solar conjunction makes any new attempt to reestablish contact impossible, leaving its fate in suspense. 🔴
Key facts about MAVEN:- Lost contact on December 6, and has not been recovered.
- Its precise trajectory around Mars is unknown.
- The conjunction delays any effort to locate or recover it.
Waiting for the Solar Storm to Pass
While on Earth the end-of-year holidays are celebrated, the robotic explorers on Mars experience forced vacations. They remain on standby, consuming minimal energy, until the celestial geometry allows the Sun to stop blocking the line of sight. Only after January 16 will the teams on Earth be able to resume sending commands and evaluate the full status of each mission, including the mysterious case of MAVEN. Patience is an essential virtue in interplanetary exploration. ⏳