Nasa probe finds possible source of sand on Mars

WASHINGTON: NASA scientists have not heard of Mars Opportunity Rover, which has been silent since the red planet was enveloped by a dust storm.

According to the US Space Agency, it is possible that a layer of dust deposited on the solar panels of the rover by the dust storm blocks the sunlight that could recharge its batteries.

Nobody can say how much dust has been deposited on his panels, Nasa said in a statement.

The agency's reaction propulsion laboratory uses a combination of listening and command methods in case Opportunity is still operational.

A windy period on Mars – known to the Opportunity team as the "dusting season" – is between November and January and has already cleared the vehicle panels.

The team is hopeful that the cleaning of the dust could result in a loss of rover hearing during this period.

The opportunities have exceeded several times the expected life. Opportunity and her twin, Spirit, were designed to last only 90 days on the Martian surface, hoping that the extreme winters and dust storms of the planet could shorten their mission.

The rover lasted nearly 15 years. It last communicated on June 10 before being hibernated by the dust storm.