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Sent with Mars' InSight mission, the two small CubeSats satellites called Mars Cube One (or MarCO) A and B provided a real-time communication link between InSight. and NASA. Their main mission was to serve as a test platform for new miniature satellite technologies, with the first CubeSats being designed to operate beyond Earth's orbit.
In fact, the two satellites, dubbed WALL-E and EVE, have survived longer than expected. Both were close to Mars when the InSight probe came to the surface last year and did its job of backing up communications with mastery. "This mission has always been to push the boundaries of miniaturized technology and see where it could lead us," says chief mission engineer Andy Klesh.
In both cases, satellites are designed to communicate over longer and longer distances. The mission team is still unsure of the cause of the interruption of communications, but is betting on some theories. Attitude control issues can prevent satellites from sending and receiving commands, while brightness sensors (which allow CubeSats to always point to the Sun to keep the batteries charged) can be displayed.
The pair will always perform an orbital approach to the Sun and there is a little chance that being restored when this happens, if the problem is even related to the battery power. This approach should take place by March and the team will always be ready to see if a signal is received, even though the mission has been officially closed.
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