Legend is gone. NASA bids farewell to Ingenuity, helicopter spending 3 years on Mars
Photo: Ingenuity's Mars helicopter completes its mission (Getty Images)
The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter has completed its mission on Mars, exceeding expectations and the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter has completed its mission on Mars, exceeding expectations and making dozens of flights more than planned aking dozens of flights more than planned.
Although the helicopter remains upright and in contact with ground controllers, images of its Jan. 18 flight sent back to Earth this week show that one or more of the rotor blades that carry it were damaged during the landing, and he is no longer capable of flight.
"The historic journey of Ingenuity, the first aircraft on another planet, has come to end," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.
What is known about the Martian helicopter
Ingenuity landed on Mars on February 18, 2021, attached to the belly of NASA's Perseverance rover, and lifted off from the Martian surface for the first time on April 19, proving that powered manned flight to Mars is possible.
After completing four more flights, it began a new mission as an operations demonstration, acting as an aerial scout for Perseverance scientists and rovers.
In 2023, the helicopter completed two successful flight tests that further increased the team's knowledge of its aerodynamic limitations.
Last year, during its sixtieth flight to Mars, the Ingenuity helicopter set a record speed for itself.
Before that, NASA reported that the Ingenuity helicopter conquered a record height of 20 meters. The flight was at one point. The previous record was 18 meters.
