NASA's Mars Missions Enter Two-Week Communication Blackout Due to Solar Conjunction

Despite the blackout, Mars rovers and orbiters continue limited data collection, with full communication to resume on November 25

NASA's Mars missions, including the Perseverance and Curiosity rovers, the Ingenuity helicopter, and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, are in a communication blackout period due to the Mars solar conjunction, which occurs every two years when Earth and Mars are on opposite sides of the Sun.
The communication blackout period started on November 11 and will last until November 25, during which time NASA will not send commands to its Mars fleet to avoid the risk of misinterpreted commands due to interference from the Sun.
Despite the communication blackout, the Mars missions will continue limited data collection, monitoring changes in surface conditions, weather, and radiation, and studying the movement of sand on Mars.
NASA will still receive brief health updates from the Mars missions throughout the blackout period, except for two days when Mars will be completely hidden behind the Sun.
After the two-week blackout period ends, the Mars missions will relay the collected data back to Earth and resume communication with ground control.