![]() Several of these upgrades have led to reduced navigation errors during flight, which increases both flight and landing safety. “To enhance our chances of success, we have increased the size of our team and are making upgrades to our flight software geared toward improving operational flexibility and flight safety.” Higher Flights “The Jezero river delta campaign will be the biggest challenge the Ingenuity team faces since first flight at Mars,” said Teddy Tzanetos, Ingenuity team lead at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter acquired this image in the northwest portion of a region known as “Séítah” using its high-resolution color camera during its 20th flight on Feb. Ingenuity may even be called upon to image geologic features too far afield (or outside of the rover’s traversable zone), or perhaps scout landing zones and caching sites for the Mars Sample Return program. Along with routing assistance, data provided by the helicopter will help the Perseverance team assess potential science targets. ![]() Upon reaching the delta, Ingenuity’s first orders will be to help determine which of two dry river channels Perseverance should take when it’s time to climb to the top of the delta. Filled with jagged cliffs, angled surfaces, projecting boulders, and sand-filled pockets that could stop a rover in its tracks (or upend a helicopter upon landing), the delta promises to hold numerous geologic revelations – perhaps even the proof necessary to determine that microscopic life once existed on Mars billions of years ago. Several miles wide and formed by an ancient river, the fan-shaped delta rises more than 130 feet (40 meters) above the crater floor. Ingenuity’s new area of operations is entirely different from the modest, relatively flat terrain it has been flying over since its first flight last April. Watch the latest Mars Report for more on Ingenuity, along with the agency’s Perseverance and Curiosity rovers. Such a transformation of mindset in such a short period is simply amazing, and one of the most historic in the annals of air and space exploration.” “Now, we are looking forward to Ingenuity’s involvement in Perseverance’s second science campaign. “Less than a year ago we didn’t even know if powered, controlled flight of an aircraft at Mars was possible,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, the associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. ![]() The announcement comes on the heels of the rotorcraft’s 21st successful flight, the first of at least three needed for the helicopter to cross the northwest portion of a region known as “Séítah” and reach its next staging area. Along the way, it will continue testing its own capabilities to support the design of future Mars air vehicles. In the months ahead, history’s first aircraft to operate from the surface of another world will support the Perseverance rover’s upcoming science campaign exploring the ancient river delta of Jezero Crater. NASA has extended flight operations of the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter through September. With its recent 21st flight complete, the Red Planet rotorcraft is on its way to setting more records during its second year of operations. ![]() ![]() Mars Helicopter Ingenuity’s blades are made of a lightweight carbon fiber foam core to provide lift in the thin Mars atmosphere. ![]()
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