The Curiosity rover begins its four week break today as the Sun moves between Mars and the Earth blocking communications between scientists and the robot.
For most of April, Nasa engineers and academics from the University of Leicester will be unable to send commands to the rover due to solar interference from the Sun.
This Mars solar conjunction happens every two years.
Flares and charged particles from the Sun could scramble data sent between scientists and Curiosity emitting vital commands sent from Earth, such as telling the robot to stop moving.
Dr John Bridges, from the University of Leicester, who is working on the Nasa mission to identify signs of a habitable microbial environment on Mars , said he would use the time to present Martian data to fellow scientists.
The mission is expected to be up and running again by May 1.
