NASA reported that the attempt to fly the mini-helicopter Ingenuity should take place on April 8. The information was ed by the North American space agency during a conference that took place yesterday Tuesday (23).
“When NASA's Sojourner rover landed on Mars in 1997, it proved that roaming the Red Planet was possible and completely redefined our approach to how we explore Mars. Likewise, we want to learn about Ingenuity's potential for the future of scientific research,” said Lori Glaze, director of the Division of Planetary Science at NASA Headquarters. “Aptly named, Ingenuity is a technology demonstration that aims to be the first powered flight on another world and, if successful, could further expand our horizons and broaden the scope of what is possible with Mars exploration.”
The helicopter is a showcase of technology and its mission is to prove whether powered flight through the atmosphere of Mars is possible. The NASA drone will make a quick 20-30 second flight and then land.
However, before the flight, the helicopter must be released from the rover and this action must be done with caution, as Ingenuity will undergo a small drop to the ground.
Since it was launched in July 2020, with the Perseverance, studies are being carried out to observe the behavior of the helicopter, they are:
- Surviving from cruising to Mars and landing on the Red Planet;
- Safely deploying to the surface from the belly of the Perseverance rover;
- Staying warm autonomously on the bitterly cold nights of Mars
- Carrying itself autonomously with its solar ;
- Successfully communicate to and from the helicopter via the Mars Helicopter Base Station on the rover;
The prediction is that there will be more than one Ingenuity flight, however, it will only be possible if everything works out on the first attempt.
After the test flights, if successful, the data will help in future manned missions to Mars to help astronauts in cave analysis, mapping areas, transporting light loads, among other actions.
