Ingenuity - the little engine that could,

[Huxter]

Ginny made it's 24th flight on the red planet. Plans are to have it help Perseverance still.

https://www.space.com/ingenuity-helicopter-24th-mars-flight

 

[Hobie1dog]

140 million miles away, just beyond my comprehension level. I love science.

 

[modeltrains]

Came across this Flight Log page yesterday while following links from I've forgotten what,
https://mars.nasa.gov/technology/helicopter/#Flight-Log

 

[Huxter]

"Ingenuity Mars helicopter snaps amazing photos of Perseverance rover's landing gear"

Ginny's 26th flight. All-new never-seen views of the landing system - "Read All About It"!

https://www.space.com/mars-helicopter-ingenuity-perseverance-parachute-backshell-photos

 

[Marc_G]

Really interesting article about a glitch with Ingenuity and the way it was overcome:

Ars Technica: After losing contact with its helicopter, NASA put the entire Mars mission on hold.
https://arstechnica.com/science/202...rs-nasas-helicopter-faces-a-long-dark-winter/

 

[BEC]

That’s really remarkable and speaks loudly to how useful this little “technology demonstration” has become to the mission.

 

[fyrwrxz]

Bummed the baby bird can't find a warm nest for the winter. This really was a tour de force.

 

[Marc_G]

Working around a dead sensor:

NASA Mars Exploration: Keeping Our Sense of Direction: Dealing With a Dead Sensor.
https://mars.nasa.gov/technology/he...ense-of-direction-dealing-with-a-dead-sensor/

 

[Marc_G]

Successful 29th flight

https://www.cnet.com/google-amp/news/nasa-mars-helicopter-lives-notches-remarkable-29th-flight/

 

[kuririn]

Completed its' 68th flight on Dec. 15.
https://mars.nasa.gov/technology/he...UR-wLsE5SqlEGT6PLf3E5XaL2QCjZjqlt04UA8gDI1Sw#

 

[Marc_G]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/nasas-ingenuity-mars-helicopter-sets-150023565.html

 

[Marc_G]

https://www.ndtv.com/science/design...opter-completes-its-70th-trip-on-mars-4799013
70 flights now!

 

[Marc_G]

72 flights, but contact lost for the moment:

https://www.space.com/nasa-loses-contact-ingenuity-mars-helicopter

 

[Tractionengines]

Hope it's ok, just a "line if sight" thing.

In any case design fir 5 flights, completes 72... sure says something. Flying a Helicopter on another planet, just amazing.

 

[Marc_G]

Contact restored

https://www.engadget.com/nasa-says-...-the-ingenuity-mars-helicopter-165728606.html

 

[Marc_G]

Due to a broken blade, Ingenuity will fly no more:

https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/...as-made-its-last-flight-above-the-red-planet/
Congratulations NASA on a great mission that blasted past all expectations!

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/after-three-years-on-mars-nasas-ingenuity-helicopter-mission-ends

 

[Marc_G]

I wonder if they can do any more science with it, before Perseverance moves out of range. It can't fly, but it has cameras and sensors and so on.

 

[modeltrains]

Due to a broken blade, Ingenuity will fly no more:

 

[Marc_G]

 

[Marc_G]

Dude... That will totally buff out!

 

[Azamiryou]

Should have fiberglassed it!

 

[Alan15578]

Now that the technology has been demonstrated, can it be scaled up to a manned mars helicopter?

 

[ksaves2]

Now that the technology has been demonstrated, can it be scaled up to a manned mars helicopter?

Ahhhh, That's one big giant step as with weight of life support systems would have to be factored in. Some new, fancy, dancy battery technology would likely be needed too. Kurt

 

[Marc_G]

Perhaps the last picture of Ingenuity until settlers arrive:

https://www.space.com/mars-ingenuity-helicopter-perseverance-rover-photo-red-planet-surface

 

[ksaves2]

Perhaps the last picture of Ingenuity until settlers arrive:

https://www.space.com/mars-ingenuity-helicopter-perseverance-rover-photo-red-planet-surface

Yes but it might be able to communicate with Perseverance while within range. Probably will go silent when the batteries can no longer hold a charge. It might have been designed to be able to transmit on solar power alone but I don't know that. Once Perseverance goes out of range, it's bye, bye then anyways. Especially if the solar cells wear out.
Unless a Mars Orbiter can interrogate Ingenuity directly coming overhead on orbit but I don't know if there is that capability available. I mean it would be useless information. An Orbiter could send a digital signal that could be interpreted, "Ingenuity, are you still there?" It could reply digitally, "Yes, I'm still here."
But since it can't fly, no need to try to contact. Good to preserve it.
Some devious 13 to 14 year old kids on the ground might want to fire the motors up full blast, let Ingenuity trash itself due to blade unbalanced and lose contact completely. We were a devious lot back then when I was young!!
Thank heavens folks on the ground are smarter and simply shut the mission down very.............long after it was thought Ingenuity would be dead!
It was thought it would be dead long before but I'm amazed that folks designed essentially a self flying, coaxial reconnaissance helicopter that performed well long after expectations. Well done!!

 

[Hobie1dog]

Sending anything to 214 million miles away and have it actually land on a planet and then function, has to be one of our greatest achievements.

 

[Marc_G]

That's not going to buff right out:

https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/...eal-an-entire-blade-broke-off-the-helicopter/

 

[Marc_G]

Grounded Ingenuity continues science mission:

https://www.digitaltrends.com/space/nasa-mars-helicopter-work-not-done/