NASA’s Ingenuity Helicopter Ends Historic Mission on Mars, Next Generation of Space Helicopters in Development
Last week, NASA’s groundbreaking mission with the Ingenuity helicopter on Mars came to an end. The small rotorcraft, weighing only 3.5 pounds, had been collecting samples on the red planet and achieved remarkable success during its time there. However, NASA and the European Space Agency are already looking ahead to the next generation of space helicopters.
Ingenuity, the first aircraft to make a powered, controlled flight on another planet, exceeded all expectations. Originally planned for only five flights, it went on to complete 72 successful flights, covering a distance 14 times farther than anticipated and accumulating over two hours of airtime. The helicopter’s accomplishments have been compared to the historical flight achievements of the Wright brothers in 1903.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced the end of Ingenuity’s mission, stating, “What Ingenuity accomplished far exceeds what we thought was possible… Through missions like Ingenuity, NASA is paving the way for future flight in our solar system and smarter, safer human exploration to Mars and beyond.” The fatal blow to Ingenuity came when its carbon fiber wings sustained damage during a landing, possibly from striking the ground.
Now, attention turns to the next generation of helicopters that will explore Mars. Known as Sample Recovery Helicopters (SRH), these new craft are similar in size to Ingenuity but boast improved features. Equipped with new dual carbon-fiber rotors and longer wingspans, the SRH are stronger and designed for higher speeds. They have already undergone at least 66 test flights using data collected by Ingenuity.
Tyler Del Sesto, NASA’s deputy test conductor for the SRH, expressed confidence in the new fleet after witnessing their performance in the space simulator at the Jet Propulsion Lab. The blades of the SRH have been spun up to speeds 750 revolutions per minute faster than Ingenuity’s blades, making them more efficient and ready for flight.
The SRH will be powered by solar panels and have grabber arms and ground-ready wheels. Their mission will involve landing near the Perseverance rover’s site in the Jerezo Crater, where they will collect cached sample tubes left on the surface by the rover. The SRH will transport these samples to the Sample Retrieval Lander, a new lander that will carry two of the helicopters. The lander will also be equipped with a rocket, NASA’s Mars Ascent Vehicle, which will be used to bring the samples back to Earth. The entire process is expected to take place between 2028 and 2033.
In addition to the SRH, NASA is also working on the Dragonfly mission, which aims to send a car-sized nuclear-powered drone to Saturn’s moon Titan. This ambitious mission, set for July 2028, will involve landing on Titan’s icy surface and exploring its sands. The Dragonfly drone will be built and operated by Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.
Elizabeth Turtle, the principal investigator for Dragonfly, expressed excitement about the mission’s progress, stating, “Dragonfly is such a daring endeavor, like nothing that has ever been done before… We’ve demonstrated that we’re ready for the next steps on the path to Titan.” The mission recently achieved impressive results in testing chambers.
While these future missions are still several years away, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab has provided a YouTube video that guides viewers in building their own functional tribute to Ingenuity out of paper. It serves as a reminder of the incredible achievements made by the small but mighty Martian-copter.
Space exploration continues to push boundaries and inspire innovation. With each mission, NASA and other space agencies bring us closer to understanding our universe and pave the way for future discoveries.