One of the spacecraft's instruments, precisely the one that checks the level of radiation, was damaged
The American space agency says that instruments on board the Mars Odyssey spacecraft were shut down as a result of the solar storm. The device, which was designed to assess the danger humans would face landing on the planet's surface, has been inactive since the first solar storm on October 28.
The same storm caused a major power outage in Sweden, damaged two Japanese satellites and disrupted the navigation and radio systems on planes and ships. NASA says it continues to send signals to the spacecraft to try to restart the equipment.
About a month ago, the Sun experienced a period of intense activity, and it emitted some of the largest flares ever recorded. Radiation and billions of tons of charged particles crossed space at high speeds and even on Mars their intensity was so strong that they paralyzed the device on the Odyssey, which has been orbiting Mars for over two years.
It is still not clear if the malfunction is terminal, but even if the device will never work again, Benas says that it has completed its mission. "Even if this device does not provide more data in the future, it has succeeded in characterizing the radiation environment that personnel should expect and prepare for." says Jerry Plaut, a scientist working on the Mars Odyssey project. The American spacecraft will also serve as a vital relay station for the British Beagle 2 spacecraft that will land on Mars on December 25 (Christmas). Odyssey will be the first to report if and when the Beagle lands safely.
