The Ingenuity helicopter made aviation history on Mars.
NASA / JPL-Caltech
This story is part of Welcome to Mars, our series on the red planet.
NASA achieved “the first powered, controlled flight on another planet” on Monday An ingenious helicopter rose from the surface of MarsNow that history has been written, NASA would like to tell us all about it.
NASA hosted an Ingenuity postflight briefing for 11 a.m.PT today, when the helicopter team will share the latest news about the aviation performance that took place on the red planet.
The tiny helicopter hitchhiked to Mars under the belly of the Perseverance rover, which dropped it on the surface to take care of themselves. The two machines posed for a picturesque picture together. The robber witnessed Ingenuity’s flight.
The flight attempt had been delayed from the original April 11 date to surrender NASA time to update the machine’s software ended prematurely after a spin test of the rotors. The helicopter later successfully completed a rapid spin test, an important milestone that paved the way for the launch.
The agency broadcast a live stream about Ingenuity’s efforts on NASA TV early Monday. It wasn’t like watching a live footage sporting event, but NASA’s helicopter team celebrated after the good news beamed back from Mars. You can watch the replay here:
“The rover will provide support during flight operations, take photos, collect environmental data and host the base station that allows the helicopter to communicate with mission controllers on Earth,” NASA said in a statement in early April.
NASA has emphasized that Ingenuity is a high-risk, high-reward technology demonstration. It now officially delivers the reward. NASA has set the scheduled flight test period to a maximum of 31 Earth days, and more flights may be scheduled soon. The agency is currently looking forward to a second test flight no earlier than April 22.
There is a lucky charm along for the ride. Ingenuity has one thing small piece of the famous Wright Brothers Flyer attached to it, drawing a direct line between making aviation history on both Earth and Mars.
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