NASAs Ingenuity Mars Helicopter made a record-breaking 25th flight on April 8, 2022. The navigation cam aboard the rotorcraft caught its longest and fastest flight to date on the Red Planet. The helicopter covered 2,310 feet (704 meters) at a max speed of 12 miles per hour (5.5 meters per second). Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Farther and Faster Than Ever Before
Imagery has come down from Mars catching a current flight in which the NASA Ingenuity Mars Helicopter flew farther and faster than ever in the past.
The black-and-white navigation cam aboard the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter has provided remarkable video of its record-breaking 25th flight, which took location on April 8. Covering a distance of 2,310 feet (704 meters) at a speed of 12 mph (5.5 meters per second), it was the Red Planet rotorcrafts longest and fastest flight to date. (Ingenuity is presently preparing for its 29th flight.).
” For our record-breaking flight, Ingenuitys downward-looking navigation video camera provided us with a spectacular sense of what it would feel like sliding 33 feet above the surface of Mars at 12 miles per hour,” stated Ingenuity group lead Teddy Tzanetos of NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.
NASAs Ingenuity Mars Helicopter made a record-breaking 25th flight on April 8, 2022. The black-and-white navigation cam aboard the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter has supplied dramatic video of its record-breaking 25th flight, which took place on April 8. NASAs Ingenuity Mars Helicopter made a record-breaking 25th flight on April 8, 2022. Throughout a flight, onboard sensors– the navigation video camera, an inertial measurement unit, and a laser range finder– offer real-time information to Ingenuitys navigation processor and main flight computer system, which assist the helicopter in flight. NASAs Ames Research Center in Californias Silicon Valley and NASAs Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, provided substantial flight efficiency analysis and technical assistance throughout Ingenuitys development.
NASAs Ingenuity Mars Helicopter made a record-breaking 25th flight on April 8, 2022. The navigation cam aboard the rotorcraft caught its longest and fastest flight to date on the Red Planet. The video of the 161.3-second flight was speeded up roughly 5 times, lowering it to less than 35 seconds.
The navigation cam has actually been programmed to shut off whenever the rotorcraft is within 3 feet (1 meter) of the surface. This assists guarantee any dust kicked up during takeoff and landing will not disrupt the navigation system as it tracks features on the ground.
Ingenuitys flights are autonomous. During a flight, onboard sensors– the navigation electronic camera, an inertial measurement system, and a laser range finder– offer real-time information to Ingenuitys navigation processor and primary flight computer system, which direct the helicopter in flight.
Mission controllers recently lost communication with Ingenuity after the rotorcraft got in a low-power state. Now that the rotorcraft is back in contact and getting sufficient energy from its solar range to charge its six lithium-ion batteries, the group is looking forward to its next flight on Mars.
More About Ingenuity.
The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter was developed by JPL, which also manages the job for NASA Headquarters. NASAs Ames Research Center in Californias Silicon Valley and NASAs Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, offered considerable flight performance analysis and technical help during Ingenuitys advancement.
At NASA Headquarters, Dave Lavery is the program executive for the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter.
