NASAs Ingenuity Mars Helicopter completed its 52nd effective flight on April 26, regardless of interaction challenges that led to a loss of contact as the helicopter descended for landing. NASAs Ingenuity Mars Helicopter effectively completed its 52nd flight, regardless of communication dropouts due to challenging Martian terrain. NASAs Ingenuity Mars Helicopter was recorded by the Perseverance rovers Mastcam-Z on April 16, not long after the rotorcrafts 50th flight. NASAs Ingenuity Mars Helicopter is seen in shadow in an image recorded by its navigation camera throughout the rotorcrafts 52nd flight on April 26. The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter is a development of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which likewise holds management obligations for the task on behalf of NASA Headquarters.
NASAs Ingenuity Mars Helicopter finished its 52nd effective flight on April 26, despite interaction challenges that led to a loss of contact as the helicopter came down for landing. (Illustration of NASAs Ingenuity helicopter on Mars.) Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
NASAs Ingenuity Mars Helicopter successfully finished its 52nd flight, regardless of interaction dropouts due to challenging Martian surface. Contact with the helicopter was re-established on June 28, following a short-term blackout due to a hill blocking the signal in between it and the Perseverance rover. Flight 53, scheduled for the coming weeks, will even more check out Marss westward surface.
The intrepid rotorcraft may head skyward again within the next couple of weeks.
The 52nd flight of NASAs Ingenuity Mars Helicopter is now in the official objective logbook as a success. The flight happened back on April 26, however objective controllers at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California lost contact with the helicopter as it descended towards the surface area for landing.
The Ingenuity group anticipated the interactions dropout since a hill stood in between the helicopters landing place and the Perseverance rovers position, obstructing interaction between the two. The rover acts as a radio relay between the helicopter and objective controllers at JPL.
NASAs Ingenuity Mars Helicopter was captured by the Perseverance rovers Mastcam-Z on April 16, not long after the rotorcrafts 50th flight. The helicopter would quickly fall silent for 63 days due uneven surface that disrupted interactions in between the rover and aircraft. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/ MSSS.
The objective of Flight 52, a 1,191-foot (363-meter) and 139-second-long flight, was to rearrange the helicopter and take pictures of the Martian surface for the rovers science team.
” The portion of Jezero Crater the rover and helicopter are currently exploring has a great deal of rugged surface, which makes interactions dropouts most likely,” stated JPLs Josh Anderson, the Ingenuity group lead. “The teams objective is to keep Ingenuity ahead of Perseverance, which periodically involves momentarily pressing beyond interaction limitations. Were thrilled to be back in communications range with Ingenuity and receive confirmation of Flight 52.”.
NASAs Ingenuity Mars Helicopter is seen in shadow in an image caught by its navigation electronic camera throughout the rotorcrafts 52nd flight on April 26. This image was lastly received after Perseverance and Ingenuity were out of interaction for 63 days. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech.
Sixty-three days is a very long time to wait for the results of a flight, however the information coming in indicates all is well with the very first airplane on another world. If the rest of Ingenuitys health checks are equally rosy, the helicopter may fly again within the next couple of weeks.
The target for Flight 53 is an interim airfield to the west, from which the group prepares to carry out another westward flight to a new base of operations near a rocky outcrop the Perseverance team has an interest in exploring.
More About Ingenuity.
The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter is a production of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which likewise holds management obligations for the task on behalf of NASA Headquarters. Two significant contributors during the development phase of Ingenuity were NASAs Ames Research Center, situated in Californias Silicon Valley, and NASAs Langley Research Center, located in Hampton, Virginia. Lockheed Space took on the task of designing and making the Mars Helicopter Delivery System.
At the helm of the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter project at NASA Headquarters is Program Executive Dave Lavery.