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NASA Studying Sending More Helicopters for Mars Reconnaissance Missions
By: Rafael Ramos
On: 7/15/2021
Imagens do nono voo do Ingenuity
Divulgação/Nasa
Ingenuity's flights to Mars were a success. The helicopter has already accumulated 9 flights, all of them with very satisfactory performance. That's NASA's motivation to use more aircraft in this type of planet recon mission.
Theodore Tzanetos, Ingenuity Operations Leader, provided this information during the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group conference, which discussed proposals for Mars exploration activities.
The first flight to Mars took place in April. The flight lasted about thirty seconds at three meters above the surface, in which the helicopter flew for just over 166 seconds at a speed of 5 m/s. After the first four successful flights, NASA began to extend the mission and study the possibility of more aircraft. Ingenuity was designed to test how aircraft would behave in that atmosphere.
As of now, Ingenuity is doing its job alongside the Perseverance rover. More flights will be made to attest to the joint operation. One completes the other at work. Places where the rover cannot reach would be the responsibility of the helicopter and vice versa.
Data from explorations on Mars encourages NASA to do more tests of its kind. A future aircraft described as a “hexacopter” called the Mars Science Helicopter, based on the Ingenuity design, and with a mass of 30 kilograms could be used for further exploration.
In an article, scientists show different applications for an aircraft like this. See the article at the external link below.
“We can reach places that rovers cannot access, such as cliff walls or terrain that is difficult to cross, and even descend into caves,” said Theodore Tzanetos.
Rafael Ramos
Aviation enthusiast from an early age, he had his first contacts with the area developing that good old habit of spending dozens of hours in front of the screens of Micrsoft Flight Simulator and other simulators. With a solid background in various technological areas, including engineering and chemistry, Rafael has rejoined aviation as editor and author of articles and materials on our portal, providing invaluable help to the dynamics and expansion of the website and the aeronautical community, bringing us the news and updates so indispensable for us to remain current in our area of operation.
   
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