The shadow of NASA’s Ingenuity can be seen on the surface of Mars as the helicopter hovered on its maiden flight on April 19, 2021.
NASA / JPL-Caltech
Here’s a look at NASA’s historic flight of an airplane on Mars, an achievement that the space agency called a “Wright Brothers moment.”
NASA rover Perseverance captured footage of the flight after rolling away for a short distance, with one of its navigation cameras showing a sequence before, during, and after the helicopter’s flight.
Video from NASA rover Perseverance shows helicopter Ingenuity spinning, hovering, and then landing on Mars.
NASA / JPL-Caltech
Ingenuity, weighing in at 4 pounds, successfully flew autonomously for 39 seconds.
NASA’s Perseverance rover captured the Ingenuity helicopter on the surface of Mars on April 18, 2021 for its maiden flight.
NASA / JPL-Caltech
A camera on NASA’s Perseverance rover shows helicopter Ingenuity flying above the surface of Mars on April 19, 2021.
NASA / JPL-Caltech
NASA helicopter Ingenuity returns to the surface of Mars after its maiden flight on April 19, 2021, captured by a camera on the Perseverance rover.
A camera on NASA’s Perseverance rover shows helicopter Ingenuity flying above the surface of Mars on April 19, 2021.
NASA announced after the flight that the area on Mars’ Jezero Crater where Ingenuity flew will be known as Wright Brothers Field.
Scientists and engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California have partnered with Ingenuity in its development, a long-term process supported by some of the agency’s experts in rotor dynamics.
NASA / JPL-Caltech
The Perseverance rover, with the Ingenuity helicopter visibly mounted beneath, ready for launch.
NASA / JPL-Caltech