NASA loses contact with Mars missions

America, Europe and Chinese space agencies have temporarily lost contact with missions sent to the Mars. They include three rovers, one helicopter and seven orbiters.

Astronomers consider the main reason for this to be the solar conjunction of Mars, which occurred on 17/18 November. In this, the red planet is in the opposite direction of the Earth from the Sun. In this situation, Mars is at its farthest point from Earth, about 376 million kilometers away.

According to NASA, the effect of the solar conjunction lasts for a week.

According to The Planets Today report, Mars and Earth are on opposite sides of the Sun. Therefore, along with the great distance between Mars and Earth, the important thing is that communication becomes difficult due to interference of radio signals due to the Sun. Therefore, it is not impossible to send messages from Mars rovers, but it is difficult to get them right. During this time, spacecraft and rovers may miscalculate or behave. The root cause of this obstruction is the Sun's hot outer atmosphere (corona), which extends thousands of miles into space. It contains hot, ionized gas, which interferes with radio signals.

International mission to Mars

-Preservation Rover Ingenuity Helicopter (NASA)

-Curiosity Rover (NASA)

-Jurong Rover (China)

-Tianwen-1 Orbiter (China)

-ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (European Agency/Roscosmos)

-Mars Express Orbiter (European Agency)

-Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (NASA)

-Odyssey Orbiter (NASA)

-Maven Orbiter (NASA)

-Hope Orbiter (UAE)