Washington, United States:
NASA’s Ingenuity mini-helicopter has survived its very first evening alone on the frigid surface of Mars, the US space agency mentioned, hailing it as “a major milestone” for the tiny craft as it prepares for its very first flight.
The ultra-light aircraft was dropped on the surface on Saturday soon after detaching from the belly of the Perseverance rover, which touched down on the Red Planet on February 18.
Detached from the Perseverance, Ingenuity had to rely on its personal solar-powered battery to run a essential heater to defend its unshielded electrical elements from freezing and cracking through the bitter Martian evening, exactly where temperatures can plunge as low as minus 130 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 90 degrees Celsius).
Making it by means of the frigid Martian evening was “a major milestone for the small rotorcraft,” NASA mentioned in a statement Monday.
“This is the first time that Ingenuity has been on its own on the surface of Mars,” mentioned MiMi Aung, Ingenuity project manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
“But we now have confirmation that we have the right insulation, the right heaters, and enough energy in its battery to survive the cold night, which is a big win for the team. We’re excited to continue to prepare Ingenuity for its first flight test.”
Over the coming days, Ingenuity will undergo tests of its rotor blades and motors.
If all goes properly, Ingenuity is anticipated to make its very first flight try no earlier than the evening of April 11, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory mentioned.
It will be the very first aircraft to try powered, controlled flight on one more planet.
Tribute to Wright brothers
Ingenuity is carrying a smaller piece of cloth that covered one of the wings of the Wright brothers’ very first aircraft which accomplished the very first powered flight on Earth at Kitty Hawk in 1903, to spend tribute to the milestone.
Its try will also coincide with the 60th anniversary of the very first human space flight, by Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin on April 12, 1961, and 40th anniversary of the April 12, 1981 launch of the very first space shuttle, Columbia.
Ingenuity will be attempting to fly in an atmosphere that is one % the density of Earth’s, which tends to make reaching lift tougher — but will be assisted by gravity that is one-third of our planet’s.
The very first 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 from its “airfield” in the Jezero Crater.
A series of flights are planned more than its mission lasting 30 Martian sols (31 Earth days).
“Our 30-sol test schedule is frontloaded with exciting milestones,” mentioned Teddy Tzanetos, Ingenuity deputy operations lead.
“Whatever the future holds, we will acquire all the flight data we can within that timeframe.”
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 significantly faster than rovers, and discover more rugged terrain.
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