NASA is preparing for the first helicopter flight test on Mars

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The explorer from the US space agency Perseverance arrived on Mars on February 18 with an important device.

NASA’s Perseverance was on board an experimental aircraft called Ingenuity, which will make its first test flight this week. NASA hopes to make the helicopter the first vehicle to fly on a planet other than Earth.

NASA recently announced that Ingenuity had been safely lowered onto the surface of Mars from storage space under Persistence. The explorer, or rover, then moved about five meters from Ingenuity. The rover and the aircraft communicate via radios.

After separating from the rover, the helicopter underwent its first major test on Mars: protecting itself from the planet’s freezing temperatures. Measurements taken with persistence from the beginning of April showed that the low temperatures in the landing area, called Jezero Crater, had reached 83 degrees Celsius.

This illustration shows the Jezero Crater - the landing site of the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover - as it looked on Mars for perhaps billions of years, when it was a lake. An inlet and outlet can also be seen on either side of the lake. (Image credit: NASA / JPL)

This illustration shows Jezero Crater – the landing site of the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover – as it looked on Mars for billions of years when it was a lake. An inlet and outlet can also be seen on either side of the lake. (Image credit: NASA / JPL)

In a statement, NASA said Ingenuity passed the test by surviving the first night alone in the extreme cold. The helicopter used its own solar energy battery use a heater to protect electrical equipment from damage.

The space agency hailed the success as “a great one milestoneFor the experimental plane.

MiMi Aung is the Ingenuity Project Leader at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She said that while her team made every effort to prepare the helicopter, the group was very excited to see the results of their work on Mars.

“We now have confirmation that we have the right insulation, the right heaters and enough energy in the battery to survive the cold night, which is a big win for the team, ”said Aung. “We are delighted to further prepare Ingenuity for its first test flight.”

In this December 17, 2019 file photo, made available by NASA, engineers take a driving test for the Mars rover Perseverance in a cleanroom at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California (J. Krohn / NASA via AP, File)

In this December 17, 2019 file photo, made available by NASA, engineers take a driving test for the Mars rover Perseverance in a cleanroom at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California (J. Krohn / NASA via AP, File)

The next set of tests involves the aircraft’s engines and rotor equipment. The helicopter will be the first aircraft to attempt a powered, controlled flight on another planet.

NASA has compared Ingenuity’s attempt to the Wright Brothers’ maiden flight of a motor-powered aircraft near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in 1903. In recognition of that historic flight, a small patch of cloth covering a wing of the Wright Brothers plane was covered. covered. attached to the helicopter for its maiden flight on Mars.

The main purpose of the Perseverance rover is to look for signs of it microbial life from the planet’s ancient past. The explorer is expected to collect rock and soil material from the surface. They will be sent to Earth from a future mission to Mars.

During the first test, Ingenuity will attempt to rise about three meters above the surface. It will try to move forward briefly in the planet’s extremely thin atmosphere. The aircraft will then attempt to turn around and make a soft landing.

NASA's Ingenuity helicopter can be seen here with all four legs deployed before falling from the belly of the Perseverance rover on March 30, 2021, the 39th Mars Day, or sol, of the mission. (Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / MSSS)

NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter can be seen here with all four legs deployed before falling from the belly of the Perseverance rover on March 30, 2021, the 39th Mars Day, or sol, of the mission. (Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / MSSS)

If the first flight is successful, other tests will be conducted, with Ingenuity trying to go a little higher and farther each time. NASA says such helicopters can aid astronauts in future search and collection missions.

NASA recently released pictures of persistence and ingenuity. The space agency described one of the photos as a ‘selfie’. It showed the rover and the helicopter sitting on the rocky surface of Mars.

The rover was able to capture the selfie with its robotic arm, which had a camera attached to the end. NASA said the photo was taken from 62 separate images assembled after being sent back to Earth.

I am Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for Learning English, based on reports from NASA, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.

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Words in this story

battery – n. a device that is placed in a machine to supply it with electricity

milestone nAn important point in the progress or development of something

insulation – n. a material used to prevent heat, cold, sound or electricity from escaping or entering

rotor – n. a part of a machine that spins, especially the device that supports the spinning blades of a helicopter

microbial – adj. related to microbes (very small living things)

mission nThe flight of a spacecraft to perform a task or job

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