After 28 successful flights, NASA's Mars helicopter has run into a bit of trouble.
It is unfortunate that one of the four-pound rotorcraft's navigation sensors has given out. The helicopter's electronics are vulnerable to extreme temperature swings.
The team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab is still working on their craft.
A navigation sensor that isn't working sounds like a big deal, but it's not necessarily an end to our flying at Mars, according to Ingenuity's chief pilot.
The Marscopter can fine tune its pitch and roll with the help of the sensor that measures gravity before and after takeoff.
It is a small part of a much more sophisticated navigation suite that also includes a laser rangefinder and navigation camera, which work together to give Ingenuity with precise navigation data.
Without the inclinometer we are forced to find a new way to make navigation decisions.
The inertia measurement unit was able to pick up the slack and use its own accelerometers to figure out the helicopter's initial attitude despite being a little less accurate.
The team at JPL will have to send a small patch to Mars to reprogram it.
"We prepared the required software patch prior to last year's arrival on Mars and kept it on the shelf for this eventuality."
Ingenuity's 29th flight is expected to be soon enough.
Keeping our sense of direction is important.
There is a new video showing a helicopter in an alien landscape.
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