NASA - Ingenuity Mars Helicopter logo.
March 20, 2023
The 48th flight of Ingenuity was aimed at repositioning the helicopter and imaging science targets along the way.
Animation above: Data provided by the helicopter will help the Perseverance team. Animation Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS.
In Short
- NASA has extended the operation of the Ingenuity helicopter
- The little helicopter has completed 48 flights on Mars
- Flight on Mars is challenging because Red Planet has significantly lower gravity
It was on April 19, 2021, when the air on the surface of Mars was suddenly disturbed, and four rotors began hovering air amidst them as Ingenuity rose from the surface for its maiden flight. In the two years since that maiden flight, the little helicopter has completed 48 such flights.
Flight 48 – By the Numbers
- Flight: 48
- Flight date: No earlier than 03/18/2023
- Horizontal flight distance: 1,271.7 feet (387.6 meters)
- Flight time: 142.36 seconds
- Flight altitude: 40 feet (12 meters)
- Heading: Northwest
- Flight speed: 10.4 mph (4.65 meters per second)
- Goal of flight: Reposition of the helicopter and image science targets along the way
During its 48th flight on Mars, the helicopter travel-led nearly 387 meters, climbing to an altitude of 12 meters above the surface of the Red Planet. The flight was captured by the Perseverance rover, which dropped it on the surface of Mars two years ago. The helicopter flew at a speed of 4.65 -meters per second.
"Ingenuity is well beyond its “warranty” at this point, but has been zipping along with me, keeping up for as long as it can as we move together uphill," the Perseverance rover tweeted with a video showing the helicopter traversing in the air above the surface of Red Planet.
The 48th flight was aimed at repositioning the helicopter and imaging science targets along the way.
NASA had extended the operation of the Ingenuity helicopter on Mars as it entered into a science campaign with the Perseverance rover, where it will support the Perseverance rover, trundling on the surface. In its science operations, Perseverance is trying to look for evidence of ancient microbial life in the inhospitable terrain.
Animation above: Ingenuity Mars Helicopter testing its rotors. Animation Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS.
Data provided by the helicopter will help the Perseverance team assess potential science targets and help in imaging geologic features too far afield (or outside of the rover’s traversable zone).
Flight on Mars is challenging because the Red Planet has a significantly lower gravity one-third that of Earth’s and an extremely thin atmosphere with only 1 per cent of the pressure at the surface compared to our planet.
Image above: Ingenuity Mars Helicopter landed on Mars. Image Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS
More About Ingenuity
The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter was built by JPL, which also manages the project for NASA Headquarters. It is supported by NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley and NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, provided significant flight performance analysis and technical assistance during Ingenuity’s development. AeroVironment Inc., Qualcomm, and SolAero also provided design assistance and major vehicle components. Lockheed Space designed and manufactured the Mars Helicopter Delivery System.
Related link:
Ingenuity Mars Helicopter: https://mars.nasa.gov/technology/helicopter/
Image (mentioned), Animations (mentioned), Video (mentioned), Text, Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Orbiter.ch Aerospace/Roland Berga.
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