Cape Canaveral - Between December 29 and January 16, there will be radio silence between Earth and Mars.

The reason for the temporary loss of contact is a conjunction of the sun, which means that Mars and Earth are on opposite sides of the sun during this period.

During this constellation of the two neighboring planets, neither of the two Mars rovers on the surface nor any probes in orbit around the red planet can receive any signals.

NASA has lost contact with the MAVEN space probe since December 6 for reasons that are as yet unexplained.

Environment and Climate Hydrogen plays a massive role in global warming, new study reveals

The space agency has announced that "efforts to reestablish communications" will be resumed after the solar cycle.

An initial analysis of the mysterious incident gives cause for concern: NASA had already attempted to detect the lost space probe in the Martian sky between December 16 and 20 using the cameras of the Curiosity rover – without success.

"MAVEN was not detected," NASA wrote.

Whether the space probe is scrap or has been lost in the vastness of space will probably only be revealed when Mars has once again emerged from behind the sun.