Close
Search
Menu Menu
[gtranslate]

Historic ‘Ingenuity’ flight on Mars could change planetary exploration

By
London, UK
0 comments
0 comments

This week, NASA’s Mars helicopter ‘Ingenuity’ performed the first ever flight on another world. Could this historic demonstration mark the start of a whole new mode of planetary travel?

Is there a prouder moment than seeing your child break out of their bicycle stabilisers and roam free? Many an employee at NASA experienced that feeling for the first time on Monday (April 19th), as Ingenuity nailed its debut flight test.

Engineers at the space agency kickstarted the week with a historic announcement. At 3:30am (12:30pm Mars time), the mini helicopter that once clung to the undercarriage of the Mars rover Perseverance took to the skies for the first time.

The super engineered four-pound machine spun its twin motor blades and elevated itself 10 feet above the red surface autonomously, hovering for 39 seconds and performing a pivot manoeuvre before safety descending again.

For those initially picturing a mazy flight over the stretching dunes and mountains of Mars, unfortunately we aren’t quite there yet.

Nevertheless, the debut test was celebrated momentously by engineers in an operating room 173 million miles away and rightly so, with all recognising this small success could have game changing ramifications for planetary exploration forever.

With flight tests delayed several times due to software and pre-flight glitches, everything came together on Monday and the triumph was lauded as another Wright brothers moment.

NASA’s victory has now opened conversations about the immense potential of rotary aircraft among space researchers, stirring the notion that the new mode could soon take the lead from traditional rovers when it comes to exploring other planets.

While Perseverance remains key to answering our immediate questions about the ancient history of Mars, and the probability of human colonisation on it some day (click here for more details) NASA is now keen to up the stakes with Ingenuity’s testing to see if the helicopter may contribute to the mission.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Director Michael Watkins claimed Ingenuity’s flight unlocked ‘the third dimension’ of travel on other worlds. ‘It freed us from the surface forever in planetary exploration,’ he told reporters in a press conference.

Upon completing its ascension from the launchpad – initially mapped out by Perseverance – Ingenuity captured a sequence of black and white images showing the ground below. More excitingly though, the rover at a safe distance (211 feet away) recorded a time lapse of coloured images showing the helicopter in motion for the first time.

Today, as NASA’s rover trickles across the landscape towards the Jezero Crater in search of microfossils, engineers are keen to get Ingenuity off its landing skids once again.

Currently in the process of examining data from the first flight and drawing up parameters for more daring tests in both altitude and speed, NASA is already dotting upcoming dates on its calendar – the next flight being on April 22nd. You know what drone enthusiasts are like?

As Ingenuity’s project manager MiMi Aung declared to Mission Control moments after confirmation, ‘This is just the first great flight.’ Let’s hope the rest go as smoothly.

Editor in Chief London, UK

I’m Jamie (He/Him), the Editor in Chief at Thred. Keeping up with gaming and revolutionary technology is my forte, but when away from my keyboard, you’ll probably find me wrapped around a large Tango ice blast at the latest mediocre horror flick. Follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn and drop me some ideas/feedback via email.

Popular

Keep up with thred by signing up to our planet-positive newsletter!

More from thred.

Are NASA’s Boeing astronauts safe?
Credit: NASA
Technology

Are NASA’s Boeing astronauts safe?

Amidst tabloid speculations of the declining health of Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, NASA has stepped in to rebut the claims and reassure the public about the good health of the astronauts. 2024 was proven unfruitful for Boeing amidst multiple safety concerns about its planes and ongoing lawsuits. In current news, its nightmares have also gone beyond our atmosphere with the company facing delays in the return of astronauts Suni...

By Kuala Lumpur, Indonesia
Does practicing gratitude make you more generous?
Credit: Pexels
Science

Does practicing gratitude make you more generous?

It’s long been theorised that giving thanks can cultivate a stronger desire to be giving. Now, there’s neuroscience to back this up, with recent research revealing a link between a grateful brain and an altruistic one. If you’re into mindfulness, then you’ll know how transformative it can be to practice gratitude. Actually, even if you’re not into all that self-reflection stuff, I’m sure that at one point or another you’ve noticed...

By London, UK
Does the human brain have a microbiome?
Credit: Pexels
Science

Does the human brain have a microbiome?

Though it’s long been assumed that bacteria can’t survive in the human brain, neuroscientists have recently been surprised to discover that it may harbour all sorts of micro-organisms. In recent years, gut health has been all the rage. This is because our understanding of the function and importance of the microbiome that lives in our intestines has improved, particularly in relation to maintaining the immune system. A microbiome is a community...

By London, UK
Apple sued by Democratic Republic of Congo for illegal mining
Credit: Al Jazeera
News

Apple sued by Democratic Republic of Congo for illegal mining

The DRC’s lawyers have stated that tech giant Apple has knowingly sourced minerals from conflict zones in East Africa while publicly painting itself as sustainable and ethical.   The Democratic Republic of Congo has filed lawsuits in both Paris and Brussels claiming that tech-giant Apple purchased illegal ‘blood minerals’ from its conflict zones for use in its product lines. Filed against the Apple European subsidiaries, the lawsuit states that the company...

By London, UK
Accessibility