Small but powerful. The first controlled and powered flight on another planet has been carried out successfully after the first problems that led to a delay in this flight attempt. A software problem identified during a high-speed test of the ship’s rotors was the culprit.
Confirmed!
Finally the obstacle was cleared and the small 1.8 kg helicopter made its historic flight in another world.
The helicopter hovered for about six seconds, hovered and rotated for about 30 seconds, and then lowered again. The flight has been autonomous, pre-programmed on the aircraft due to the 15 minutes it takes for signals to travel from Earth to Mars.
After the flight, Ingenuity has sent Perseverance technical data about what it has done, and that information has been transmitted to Earth including a black and white photo of the Martian surface as it flies first and then after it recharges. batteries, a second color photo of the Martian horizon, taken with a different camera.
Recall that the helicopter traveled to Mars attached to the underside of the Perseverance rover, which landed on the Red Planet on February 18 on a mission to search for signs of extraterrestrial life.
Although it will not contribute to the scientific objectives of the mission, it is a demonstration of technology, it is hoped that it can pave the way for future flyers that revolutionize our exploration of the planets, because they are capable of reaching areas that the rovers cannot. they can go and travel much faster.
As a poignant tribute, a piece of the original Wright brothers plane was placed inside Ingenuity.
Perseverance videos will arrive in the next few days.
