Ingenuity
Ingenuity is a small helicopter that has flown on Mars, even though the Martian atmosphere is only 1% the density of the air in Earth’s atmosphere. It was attached to the underbelly of the Perseverance rover. Its lithium-ion batteries supply enough power for 90 second flights. To fly in the thin atmosphere it is very light (less than 1.8 kg and its blades rotate 3,000 rpms. It's first flight was 39.1 seconds on April 19, 2021.[1] Date returned to Earth showed that Ingenuity climbed to its planned maximum altitude of 10 feet (3 meters, maintained a stable hover for 30 seconds, and then descended for a soft landing.[2]
Ingenuity's second Mars flight took place on April 22. That was the 18th sol or Martian day. It lasted 51.9 seconds. Besides going higher and longer it went sideways.[3]
[[ |frame|none|This is the first color image of the Martian surface taken by an aerial vehicle while it was aloft. The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter captured it with its color camera during its second successful flight test on April 22, 2021. At the time this image, Ingenuity was 17 feet (5.2 meters) above the surface. The winding parallel discolorations in the surface reveal the tread of the six-wheeled rover. Perseverance itself is located top center, just out frame. “Wright Brothers Field” is in the vicinity of the helicopter’s shadow, bottom center, with the actual point of takeoff of the helicopter just below the image. A portion of the landing pads on two of the helicopter’s four landing legs can be seen in on the left and right sides of the image, and a small portion of the horizon can be seen at the upper right and left corners.]]
References:
- ↑ https://www.space.com/mars-helicopter-ingenuity-flight-dust-plume?utm_source=Selligent&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=SDC_Newsletter&utm_content=SDC_Newsletter+&utm_term=2946561&m_i=dStKDf4jn5HKkR0FWgRXY3M2FDuBJGGmMsgr%2ByuGOr%2BfsL12Mc%2BC95cXAbsEZZ_Xy83ALn30BPUt5jW_bKUzAoBzcZJ7SZ7uLYwIWwdddN
- ↑ https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-ingenuity-mars-helicopter-succeeds-in-historic-first-flight?utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nasajpl&utm_content=daily20210419-2
- ↑ https://outlook.live.com/mail/0/inbox/id/AQMkADAwATExAGNiNy00YzQ1LTM4MjMtMDACLTAwCgBGAAADdsmEa%2FgtIEmBK%2FX8yb671wcAkr%2FaXi2mwEKimhNbcs0ITQAAAgEMAAAAkr%2FaXi2mwEKimhNbcs0ITQAEieWntAAAAA%3D%3D
