{"id":24105,"date":"2024-01-28T17:51:51","date_gmt":"2024-01-28T09:51:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/ingenuitys-mission-ends-after-72-flights\/"},"modified":"2024-01-28T17:51:51","modified_gmt":"2024-01-28T09:51:51","slug":"ingenuitys-mission-ends-after-72-flights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/ingenuitys-mission-ends-after-72-flights\/","title":{"rendered":"Ingenuity\u2019s mission ends after 72 flights"},"content":{"rendered":"

NASA announced its Mars helicopter, Ingenuity<\/em>, had ended its mission after experiencing an anomaly during its 72nd flight on Jan. 18. Images recovered after the flight showed severe damage to at least one of the aircraft\u2019s rotor blades, making further flights impossible. The damage spelled the end for the small helicopter that made history in 2021, when it became the first aircraft to ever fly on another planet.<\/p>\n

What caused the mishap is still unknown, but based on preliminary data, engineers at NASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) believe that uniform, sandy terrain below may have confused the helicopter\u2019s navigation systems. They think Ingenuity<\/em> made a quick sideways correction maneuver which either caused one of the blades to strike the ground or a loss of power resulting in a blade strike. Teams are still receiving data from the helicopter that may help them figure out the exact cause of the damage.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cIngenuity<\/em> was a tech demo that proved flight, it was an operational demo that showed how flight can complement other kinds of operational missions like rovers, and it was an engineering demo that showed how much higher, faster, and farther we can fly,\u201d said JPL director Laurie Leshin. \u201cIt proved that flight was even possible on Mars and I am excited to dream about future ways that we will use this capability on Mars and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Image captured by Ingenuity on Jan. 18, after flight 72. The shadow revealed severe damage to a rotor blade. (Credit: NASA\/JPL-Caltech)<\/p>\n

The small helicopter, with a mass of 1.8 kilograms and rotors spanning 1.2 meters from tip to tip, accompanied NASA\u2019s Perseverance<\/em> rover as a technology demonstration. While Ingenuity<\/em> was not part of the rover\u2019s science mission, it did eventually assist it by mapping the terrain ahead of the rover. Perseverance<\/em> deployed the helicopter beneath itself in early April 2021, six weeks after it arrived on Mars on Feb. 18.<\/p>\n

See Also<\/h4>\n
    \n
  • Ingenuity Updates<\/li>\n
  • Space Science Section<\/li>\n
  • Click here to Join L2<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Only a few weeks later, on April 19, Ingenuity<\/em> took to the sky for its historic first flight, proving that flight was possible in Mars\u2019 thin atmosphere.  The helicopter hovered three meters above the surface for 30 seconds before touching down after a total flight time of 39 seconds. The helicopter performed this flight and all subsequent flights autonomously, as the communications delay between Mars and Earth was too long for it to be piloted manually.<\/p>\n

    On May 7, 2021, the helicopter performed its fifth flight lasting 108 seconds, during which it moved 129 meters to the south of its original location. This flight marked the end of its initial demonstration mission and the beginning of a new operations demonstration phase in which teams explored the full capabilities of a helicopter on Mars and how it could support a rover\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n

    Ingenuity<\/em> demonstrated its value by scouting the area ahead of Perseverance<\/em>, helping its planners to determine a safe path for the rover. What\u2019s more, the helicopter created three-dimensional maps of the Martian surface. During a challenging 13th flight on Sept. 4, 2021, it captured 3D images of a rock formation nicknamed Faillefeu<\/em>.<\/p>\n

    Space Shuttle models<\/path>Technology News<\/path>SpaceX launch tickets<\/path>\n

    (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/p>\n