Posted on 04/07/2021 12:11:39 PM PDT by Red Badger
NASA’s Mars helicopter Ingenuity is seen on the planet's surface on Monday, the 45th Martian day of the Perseverance rover mission. Photo courtesy of NASA
ORLANDO, Fla., April 7 (UPI) -- NASA's Mars helicopter Ingenuity, the first powered aircraft on another planet, is free of the Perseverance rover that carried it and appears to be functioning well ahead of its first flight on Sunday, the space agency said.
NASA plans to broadcast the results of that first flight at 3:30 a.m. EDT Monday after the helicopter transmits data and images to Perseverance, which will send them back to Earth.
The helicopter detached from the rover's underbelly Saturday and survived subzero temperatures with its own heaters, which NASA said Tuesday was "a major milestone."
The 4-pound rover uses solar panels to charge its batteries and keep delicate electronics safe from extreme cold that can reach 130 degrees F below zero.
"So far, everything has gone very well, so I'm 90% stress-free about Ingenuity now," said Jeremy Morrey, a principal engineer at Lockheed Martin, which built the helicopter's protective shield and robotic release mechanism.
Morrey said he and many others on NASA's team watched fervidly as high-resolution images show the aircraft unfolding as designed.
"The images were kind of spectacular really," Morrey said. "I mean, you can see the texture and the carbon fiber makeup of the rotors and the little springs as they were released."
Ingenuity was covered in red Martian dust, even though it had been under a cover during the rover's landing on Feb. 18 because thrusters on the rover's landing jet pack had kicked up clouds of debris.
"The cover was designed to protect Ingenuity from rocks and pebbles, not from dust, so there was a gap where dust got in," Morrey said. "Once the helicopter rotors start turning, I expect it will blow away all that dust. They may also stir up a lot more of it though. We'll see."
Lockheed is working on landing apparatus for NASA's next interplanetary helicopter, the Dragonfly mission to Saturn's moon, Titan, in 2027. Morrey said NASA and Lockheed are watching Ingenuity closely for lessons that can be applied to future missions.
RELATED Live from the moon: NASA aims to wow public with landing video, images The helicopter also has a camera, and sent its first photo back to NASA, showing dusty red pebbles below it. The aircraft is carrying no science equipment as NASA considers it purely a demonstration of powered flight on another planet.
The helicopter's survival since its release Saturday confirms that it has "the right insulation, the right heaters and enough energy in its battery to survive the cold night, which is a big win," said MiMi Aung, the helicopter's project manager with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.
NASA plans a live broadcast at 11 a.m. EDT Monday to reveal more data and images, which is to include video taken by the rover showing the helicopter flying.
Dispatches from Mars: Perseverance rover sends images
NASA's Mars Perseverance rover acquired this image of the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter on March 29 using its SHERLOC WATSON camera, located on the turret at the end of the rover's robotic arm. NASA is targeting no earlier than April 8 for the helicopter to make the first attempt at a powered, controlled flight of an aircraft on another planet. Photo courtesy of NASA |
Ping!...............
With the future of NASA being bleak, it’s hard for me to enjoy these incredible accomplishments.
Enjoy them while they last, because we know what tomorrow will bring...................
Probably going to crash on its first flight.
It’s already covered with menus to Chinese restaurants.
There is a small piece of the fabric from the wing of the airplane that flew at Kitty Hawk by the Wright brothers. Pretty cool idea to bring that to Mars if you ask me.
Now how smart was THAT to pack a drone? I can’t wait to see more of Mars! :)
The whole thing is amazing. Another area where Trump had no intention of reducing our commitment.
I hope they have their Martian FAA license...................
...nattering nabobs of negativism...
Hope for the best, expect the worst. Then you’ll never be disappointed.
I was told in the past that Mars did not have a thick enough gas atmosphere for something like this to work.
Cool.
I wouldn’t bet on that.
What happens if it is shot down
It weighs only 4 pounds................
>>There is a small piece of the fabric from the wing of the airplane that flew at Kitty Hawk by the Wright brothers. Pretty cool idea to bring that to Mars if you ask me.<<
Thanks for that info. Cool indeed!
We humans may be crawling our way to the stars, but despite the bidets we are moving forward.
Although this is NASA, Heinlein was right in the future of space belongs the private sector.
The last record will be the words "HIvje' vIleghpu'!"
Which is pretty hefty for a drone.
Still very cool.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.