NASA's Ingenuity Helicopter to Begin New Demonstration Phase

NASA ^ | April 30, 2021

[Ezekiel]

Perseverance's Selfie with Ingenuity: NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover took a selfie with the Ingenuity helicopter, seen here about 13 feet (3.9 meters) from the rover. This image was taken by the WASTON camera on the rover’s robotic arm on April 6, 2021, the 46th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. Credit: Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS. Full image and caption ›

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The Red Planet rotorcraft will shift focus from proving flight is possible on Mars to demonstrating flight operations that future aerial craft could utilize.

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NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter has a new mission. Having proven that powered, controlled flight is possible on the Red Planet, the Ingenuity experiment will soon embark on a new operations demonstration phase, exploring how aerial scouting and other functions could benefit future exploration of Mars and other worlds.

This new phase will begin after the helicopter completes its next two flights. The decision to add an operations demonstration is a result of the Perseverance rover being ahead of schedule with the thorough checkout of all vehicle systems since its Feb 18 landing, and its science team choosing a nearby patch of crater bed for its first detailed explorations. With the Mars Helicopter’s energy, telecommunications, and in-flight navigation systems performing beyond expectation, an opportunity arose to allow the helicopter to continue exploring its capabilities with an operations demonstration, without significantly impacting rover scheduling.

“The Ingenuity technology demonstration has been a resounding success,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. “Since Ingenuity remains in excellent health, we plan to use it to benefit future aerial platforms while prioritizing and moving forward with the Perseverance rover team’s near-term science goals.”

[House Atreides]

Why don’t they have a small hydrogen filled balloon tethered to it to take the bulk (but not all) of its weight. Yes, I know the atmosphere is “thin” but hydrogen is still lighter than CO2.

[Paladin2]

Did we find any indigenous natives to harass yet?

[Flick Lives]

Interesting question. Maybe because the material to be workable for a balloon would be thin enough to be subject to erosion and eventual pinhole leaks from the Martian dust storms.

[Army Air Corps]

Yannow, a small hydrogen balloon with a science package and cameras would be nice to have. It can just roam freely through the atmosphere recording atmospheric data as it goes.

[Army Air Corps]

I wonder just how high the dust extends into the atmosphere during the dust storms.

[Flick Lives]

I wonder just how high the dust extends into the atmosphere during the dust storms.

Not sure, but I did read that the earlier Opportunity rover operated on Mars for 16 years(!!) finally gave up the ghost after being engulfed in a severe dust storm which likely covered its solar panels in a heavy coat of dust.

16 years and no oil changes or service! Amazing

https://mars.nasa.gov/news/8413/nasas-opportunity-rover-mission-on-mars-comes-to-end/

[Ronaldus Magnus III]

Way to go #7! And there is even some more! Opportunity was ‘guaranteed’ to last 90 days. No, that is not a typo, 90 (ninety) DAYS. Hmmm. Let’s do the math.. 16 years minus 90 days.. Yes, I believe it lasted a ‘little’ longer than anyone thought could be possible. Way, way cool.