Mars Global Surveyor Is Not Responding

NASA Loses Contact With Mars Global Surveyor

“Engineers are striving to restore full communications with NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor on the 10th anniversary of the spacecraft’s Nov. 7, 1996, launch. On Nov. 2, one orbit after commands were sent for a routine maneuver to move the solar panels, the spacecraft reported that the motor moving one of the arrays had experienced errors. Onboard software responded as programmed, switching the spacecraft to a backup motor controller, then to a backup circuitry connection.”

NASA struggles to contact lost Mars probe, New Scientist

“If communication cannot be restored soon, NASA may try to diagnose the problem by having another spacecraft, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, take pictures of MGS.”