We Wont Hear From Any Mars Rovers For At Least Two Weeks Heres Why

We Won’t Hear From Any Mars Rovers For At Least Two Weeks – Here’s Why

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Solar conjunction has forced all rovers on Mars to survive the next weeks on their own. Communications from Earth could make things go worse on Mars.

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We Wont Hear From Any Mars Rovers For At Least Two Weeks Heres Why

For the next several weeks, all rovers on Mars will be left to survive on their own, receiving no communications from Earth. The Chinese rover Zhurong recently reached 100 days of life on Mars, now it faces a communication black-out. Zhurong is the newest rover to reach the Red Planet. Of the 14 missions that landed on Mars from the US, Russia, Europe, and China, only four rovers are still active, rolling and flying, Curiosity, InSight, Perseverance, and Zhurong. Rovers on Mars communicate with Earth thanks to satellites orbiting Mars. Mars orbiters have had a similar fate, of 18 spacecraft missions only 8 still orbit the Red Planet today.

Every two years an astronomical phenomenon known as solar conjunction puts all Mars exploration missions and programs to sleep. NASA and the China National Space Administration CNSA, both countries actively operating on Mars go into “stealth mode” shutting off main operations. Solar conjunction takes place when the Sun blocks Earth from a direct line to Mars. The solar plasma and wind create interferences to radio and data signals affecting rovers on Mars.

Chatter between Mars and Earth will be unusually silent for at least two weeks. No commands can be sent to the rovers from Earth during this time because the interferences caused by the Sun could corrupt the commands. Corrupt commands could in turn lead to dangerous modifications and trigger undesired behavior. NASA with over two decades under its belt in Mars rover exploration is familiar with solar conjunctions. NASA will shut down operations on October 1 and resume on the 14, China on the other hand shut down all comms with Mars on September 13.

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What Happens When The Solar Conjunction Ends?

NASA and Chinese engineers have been preparing for the solar conjunction for months. NASA said that their teams have already sent two weeks of instructions in advance for the rovers. “Like parents who raise youngsters to be responsible and let them go on a short vacation with their friends, they’ve done all they can to ensure the voyagers will be healthy and safe,” NASA said.

China’s space agency said that the solar conjunction’s electromagnetic radiation interference forces their orbiter and rover to go into safe mode. “When the phase comes to an end, the orbiter will enter the remote sensing mission orbit at a suitable timing to carry out global remote sensing exploration of Mars, and also relay communication of the Mars rover expansion mission stage,” China said.

Curiosity, Perseverance, Insight, Ingenuity, and Zhurong, and the network of orbiting satellites will be on their own as the Sun transits slowly, dangerously jamming communications. Running safe-mode operations, for two long weeks, the end game is as always to survive playing it safe. Until NASA’s Deep Space Network and China antennas awaken the rovers the world will hear little from humanity’s exploring teams on Mars, left to fend for themselves. They will adapt and endure, or suffer the consequences. Let’s hope they make it through unscathed.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/mars-rovers-solar-conjunction-nasa/

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