NASA Plans Ingenuity Helicopter’s Third Flight on Mars

SAN FRANCISCO, iNews.id – NASA recently made Ingenuity’s second helicopter flight on Mars. After the second flight, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory returned with details about a planned third flight involving a small helicopter.

The Ingenuity helicopter resembles a small drone. This is a demonstration of the technology and marks a new milestone for NASA for the first time an aerial vehicle is being operated on another planet.

NASA has explained that there are many challenges when it comes to flying a helicopter on Mars, including the planet’s very thin atmosphere. Despite these potential problems, Ingenuity’s first flight was successful.

The flight was very simple, too, giving the team the opportunity to gather data about the helicopter and how it was performing. The second flight took place this weekend, and the space agency has now said it will make the third on Sunday, April 25.

This time, NASA will push Ingenuity to about 4.5MPH at 16 feet; Planned flights will involve helicopters covering a round trip distance of 330 feet.

Editor: Dini Listiyani