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In an official statement, NASA explained, “The mission is paused because the ionized hot gas emitted from the solar corona could potentially disrupt radio signals sent from Earth to NASA spacecraft on Mars, causing unpredictable behavior.” Signal transmission to Mars was halted on Saturday, November 11, and is scheduled to resume on November 25. Although Mars missions were temporarily halted, scientists on Earth remain active in collecting data on the surface conditions of Mars, its weather, and the movement of sand across its surface.
Roy Gladden, the manager of the Mars Relay Network, stated, “Our mission team has spent months preparing a to-do list for all our Mars spacecraft. We can still hear from them and check their health conditions for the next few weeks.” While Mars remains unseen during this period, in the coming months, the planet will reappear from the broad side of the Sun and will be visible for a more extended period in the pre-dawn sky.
Fascinatingly, in about a year, Mars will reach opposition, a rare astronomical event where Mars will be visible almost all night above Earth. This is eagerly awaited by astronomy enthusiasts and space researchers. Opposition of Mars occurs when Earth is situated between the Sun and Mars, allowing the Red Planet to appear brightest and largest in the night sky.
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This solar conjunction event provides an opportunity for scientists and researchers at NASA to plan for more intensive monitoring and research of the Red Planet. With careful observation, experts can gain more insights into the dynamics of Mars’ atmosphere, changes on its surface, and perhaps discover new clues related to life on our neighboring planet.