NASA is pausing operational commands with the spacecraft exploring Mars as the Red Planet nears its conjunction with the sun.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
About every 25 months, the Red Planet lines up with the sun. This is known as the solar conjunction that occurs on October 7 (11:01 p.m. CDT). The planet is on the far side of the sun, over 240 million miles away.
According to a NASA news release, the space agency will suspend operational commands. From October 2 through October 16 no commands will be sent to the over half dozen remote sensors that are studying the Martian environment from orbit, on the ground, and through flight in the thin atmosphere.
The sun’s atmosphere, known as the corona that becomes visible during a total solar eclipse, can affect radio transmissions that pass through it on their way from Earth to Mars. To keep the spacecraft safely in their current positions, commands are suspended.
While the Red Planet moves behind the sun and its extended atmosphere the safest operation is to place the spacecraft in a mode that allows them to collect data.
The remote stations will continue to take photographs, weather and atmospheric measurements, and monitor possible Mars quakes.
During the hiatus, no new images will be sent to Earth. They will be radioed home after Mars clears the interference from the sun’s corona.
RECENT PODCASTS
LATEST ARTICLES
- 2024, May 13: Moon Visits BeehiveMay 13, 2024: The moon is near the Beehive star cluster after sundown. Mars and Saturn shine during morning twilight. Uranus is at solar conjunction.
- 2024, May 12: Crescent Moon-Pollux ConjunctionMay 12, 2024: The crescent moon appears next to Pollux after sunset, a Moon-Pollux conjunction. Two morning planets shine from the eastern sky before sunrise.
- 2024, May 11: Sirius Heliacal SettingMay 11, 2024: Sirius makes its last appearance or heliacal setting at the mid-northern latitudes. Mars and Saturn are visible before sunrise, Moon after sundown.
- 2024, May 10: Mercury’s Poor Morning ViewMay 10, 2024: Mercury is difficult to see before sunrise, although Saturn and Mars are easier to locate. The crescent moon is in the west-northwest after sundown.
- 2024, May 9: May Evening EarthshineMay 9, 2024: Look for earthshine on the moon’s night portion this evening. Mars and Saturn are morning planets.