NASA’s Ingenuity mini-helicopter has been dropped on the surface of Mars in preparation for its initial flight, the US space agency stated.
The ultra-light aircraft had been fixed to the belly of the Perseverance rover, which touched down on the Red Planet on February 18.
“MarsHelicopter touchdown confirmed!” NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory tweeted Saturday.
#MarsHelicopter touchdown confirmed! Its 293 million mile (471 million km) journey aboard @NASAPersevere ended with the final drop of 4 inches (10 cm) from the rover’s belly to the surface of Mars today. Next milestone? Survive the evening. https://t.co/TNCdXWcKWEpic.twitter.com/XaBiSNebua
– NASA JPL (@NASAJPL) April 4, 2021
“Its 293 million mile (471 million kilometer) journey aboard @NASAPersevere ended with the final drop of 4 inches (10 centimeter) from the rover’s belly to the surface of Mars today. Next milestone? Survive the night.”
A photograph accompanying the tweet showed Perseverance had driven clear of the helicopter and its “airfield” immediately after dropping to the surface.
Ingenuity had been feeding off the Perseverance’s energy program but will now have to use its personal battery to run a crucial heater to safeguard its unshielded electrical elements from freezing and cracking through the bitter Martian evening.
“This heater keeps the interior at about 45 degrees F (7 degrees Celsius) through the bitter cold of the Martian night, where temperatures can drop to as low as -130F (-90 degrees Celsius),” Bob Balaram, Mars Helicopter Project chief engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, wrote in an update on Friday.
“That comfortably protects key components such as the battery and some of the sensitive electronics from harm at very cold temperatures.”
Over the next couple of days, the Ingenuity group will verify that the helicopter’s solar panels are working correctly and recharging its battery ahead of testing its motors and sensors ahead of its initial flight, Balaram stated.
Ingenuity is anticipated to make its initial flight try no earlier than April 11, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory tweeted.
Ingenuity will be attempting to fly in an atmosphere that is one % the density of Earth’s, which tends to make attaining lift tougher — but will be assisted by gravity that is one-third of our planet’s.
The initial flight will involve climbing at a price of about 3 feet (one meter) per second to a height of 10 feet (3 meters), hovering there for 30 seconds, then descending back to the surface.
Ingenuity will be taking higher-resolution photography as it flies.
Up to 5 flights of gradual difficulty are planned more than the month.
The 4-pound (1.8-kilogram) rotorcraft expense NASA about $85 million to create and is viewed as a proof of notion that could revolutionize space exploration.
Future aircraft could cover ground a lot faster than rovers, and discover more rugged terrain.
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