The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter has been extended by NASA. In the months ahead, the first aircraft to operate from the surface of another world will support the Perseverance rover's upcoming science campaign. It will continue testing its own capabilities to support the design of future Mars air vehicles.
The first of at least three needed for the helicopter to cross the northwest portion of a region known as &S&E9& and reach its destination came about after the 21st successful flight.
Thomas Zurbuchen, the associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate, said that less than a year ago they didn't know if powered, controlled flight of an aircraft at Mars was possible. It is one of the most historic changes of mindset in the history of air and space exploration.
Since its first flight last April, Ingenuity has flown over a relatively flat terrain, but its new area of operations is completely different. The fan-shaped delta is more than 130 feet above the crater floor and was formed by an ancient river. The delta is filled with jagged cliffs, sloping surfaces, projecting boulders, and sand-filled pockets that could stop a rover in its tracks.
When it is time to climb to the top of the delta, Ingenuity will help determine which of two dry river channels Perseverance should take. Data provided by the helicopter will help the Perseverance team assess potential science targets. Ingenuity can be used to image geologic features too far away from the rover, or to scout landing zones and caching sites for the Mars Sample Return program.
Teddy Tzanetos, Ingenuity team lead at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said that the Jezero river delta campaign will be the biggest challenge the team has faced.
Higher flights.
Increased flight and landing safety can be achieved by several of these upgrades. A recent software change frees Ingenuity from its previously programmed maximum altitude. Incremental increases in air speed and range could be achieved by the altitude gains. Ingenuity can change airspeed as it flies with a second upgrade. It can better understand and adjust to changes in terrain during flight. Adding terrain elevation maps to the navigation filter and a landing-hazard-avoidance capability are possibilities for future software upgrades.
Ingenuity has to finish its journey to the area before it can begin aerial surveys. Ingenuity's next flight will be 1,150 feet in length and will include a sharp bend in its course to avoid a large hill. After that, the team will decide if more flights are needed to complete the crossing.
The first experimental flight on another world took place on April 19, 2021. NASA transitioned Ingenuity into an operations demonstration phase, testing its ability to provide an aerial component to the Perseverance mission. The helicopter flew over 38 minutes and traveled over 4 miles. As Ingenuity pushes farther into unknown territory, these numbers will inevitably go up, and previous flight records will likely fall.
The upcoming flight will be the 22nd entry in the Ingenuity logbook. I will need a second book at the rate we are going.
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