Perseverance Rover

[Flyaway]

Gearing up for flight 61 now.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1707877506685272335

View: https://twitter.com/nasajpl/status/1707877506685272335

Ingenuity is gearing up for Flight 61 as early as today.

The #MarsHelicopter will do another pop-up flight to travel to an altitude of 24 meters and fly for 130 seconds. go.nasa.gov/46rRv6v

 

[Flyaway]

Another flight, another record for flight on Mars.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1710086508349460662

View: https://twitter.com/nasajpl/status/1710086508349460662

Another flight and another record for Ingenuity!

The #MarsHelicopter completed Flight 61, breaking the altitude record it set on Flight 59 by reaching ~79 ft (24 m). This was a pop-up flight that lasted about 129 seconds. go.nasa.gov/3OIDIT3

 

[Flyaway]

Video of flight 59:

View: https://youtu.be/SDT1DJt-oTI

 

[Flyaway]

Flight 62 set a new groundspeed record.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1714431859801899056

View: https://twitter.com/nasajpl/status/1714431859801899056

The need... for speed.

The #MarsHelicopter recently completed Flight 62, setting a new groundspeed record by flying about 22 mph (10 m/s) for 121 seconds. View the latest flight stats:

Mars Helicopter - NASA

The Mars Helicopter is a technology demonstration to test powered flight on another planet for the first time.

mars.nasa.gov

 

[Flyaway]

Flight 63 is hopefully today.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1714704461078425616

View: https://twitter.com/nasajpl/status/1714704461078425616

The #MarsHelicopter is targeting Flight 63 no earlier than Oct. 19. It's expected to fly about 1,883 ft (573.93 m) for 137 seconds to reposition itself in a new airfield.

Flight 63 Preview – By the Numbers - NASA

Flight 63 Preview

mars.nasa.gov

Flight 63
Expected flight date: 10/19/2023
Horizontal flight distance: 573.93 meters
Expected flight time: 137 seconds
Flight altitude: 12 meters
Heading: SW
Max flight speed: 6.3 m/s
Goal of flight: Reposition of the helicopter
Airfield: New

 

[Flyaway]

Video of Ingenuity’s 62nd flight:

View: https://youtu.be/LEhQzEcgM84?si=weZ2kV_RVtevyln6

 

[NMaude]

The Perseverance Rover has been gathering more data and geological samples for eventual return to Earth, from TheSpaceBucket:

NASA’s Perseverance Rover has been staying very busy on the Martian surface as it makes its way to new territory. With the help of Ingenuity, the two have been making impressive progress and some fascinating discoveries. This includes dust devils, unique rock structures, and evidence of water from the past, just to name a few.

At the same time, the rover is also collecting samples as it goes in preparation for the Mars Sample Return mission which is being prepared. The rover is currently almost 10 kilometers from its original landing site after heading far northwest. NASA originally put a lot of time into picking the landing site based on its features and the surrounding area.

That work is now paying off as Perseverance goes further into the unknown. Here I will go more in-depth into the rover’s recent discoveries, the path it has taken, what’s next, and more.

Full article here - https://thespacebucket.com/nasas-pers...

 

[Flyaway]

Flight 63 completed.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1716574614829289755

View: https://twitter.com/nasajpl/status/1716574614829289755

Ingenuity is going the distance!

The #MarsHelicopter completed Flight 63 last week, flying for more than 2 minutes and traveling 579 meters - its longest distance since Flight 25. https://mars.nasa.gov/technology/helicopter/

Flight Log
By the Numbers

FLIGHTS
63

FLIGHT TIME
~115.3 MINS

DISTANCE FLOWN
9 MILES
(~14.492 km)

MAX. GROUND SPEED
22.4 MPH
10 m/s

HIGHEST ALTITUDE
24 METERS
(~79 ft)

 

[Flyaway]

Flights 65 & 66 coming up one after the other

https://twitter.com/x/status/1719870334500045066

View: https://twitter.com/nasajpl/status/1719870334500045066

Ingenuity will attempt Flight 65 as soon as today! But the #MarsHelicopter isn't stopping there: It will attempt Flight 66 tomorrow, making this the first time its flown back-to-back on consecutive sols!

Flight 65: https://mars.nasa.gov/technology/helicopter/status/493/flight-65-preview-by-the-numbers/
Flight 66: https://mars.nasa.gov/technology/helicopter/status/494/flight-66-preview-by-the-numbers/

Flight 65
Expected flight date: 11/01/2023
Horizontal flight distance: 7 meters
Expected flight time: 48.26 seconds
Flight altitude: 10 meters
Heading: West
Max flight speed: 1 m/s
Goal of flight: Reposition the helicopter
Airfield: Same

Flight 66
Expected flight date: 11/02/2023
Horizontal flight distance: 0.5 meters
Expected flight time: 23.38 seconds
Flight altitude: 3 meters
Heading: South
Max flight speed: 1 m/s
Goal of flight: Reposition the helicopter
Airfield: Same

 

[Flyaway]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1721940342113747091

View: https://twitter.com/nasajpl/status/1721940342113747091

Two more down!

Ingenuity has completed Flights 65 AND 66. These two short flights positioned the #MarsHelicopter for the upcoming Mars solar conjunction, when mission teams will pause on sending commands for about 2 weeks. View the flight log:

Mars Helicopter - NASA

The Mars Helicopter is a technology demonstration to test powered flight on another planet for the first time.

mars.nasa.gov

FlightSolDateHorizontal DistanceMax. Altitude Max. GroundspeedDurationRoute of Flight
65960 Nov. 2, 20237~2310~331~2.248.0Airfield Phi
66961 Nov. 3, 20230~23~101~2.223.0Airfield Phi

 

[Flyaway]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1723105980786082067

View: https://twitter.com/nasajpl/status/1723105980786082067

A little more than 10 flights ago, Ingenuity performed its first emergency landing on the Red Planet - but the #MarsHelicopter did it flawlessly.

Read the full story from the helicopter's chief engineer

The Long Wait - NASA Science

There was a long delay between Flight 52 and Flight 53, and a deviation from the published Flight 53 plan. I will address both in this blog post.

mars.nasa.gov

https://twitter.com/x/status/1723385104280465467

View: https://twitter.com/nasajpl/status/1723385104280465467

The #MarsHelicopter will be busy during Mars solar conjunction – on the ground!

Ingenuity's team found a parking spot near these Martian sand ripples, where it will take time-lapse images to better understand the movement of sand grains.

 

[Flyaway]

Two views of a High-Altitude Flight for Ingenuity Mars Helicopter:

View: https://youtu.be/V5ac3jktME4

 

[Flyaway]

NASA tests ‘longer and stronger’ blades for future Mars helicopters:

View: https://youtu.be/2LfOalVmlzs?si=HJSQtKr7jNVuRgz8

 

[Flyaway]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1730665006122103062

View: https://twitter.com/nasajpl/status/1730665006122103062

After a short break in communication over the past few weeks due to the solar conjunction, Ingenuity has phoned home and is ready to fly!

The #MarsHelicopter will attempt to travel 392 meters for 133 seconds no earlier than Saturday, Dec 2.

Flight 67 Preview – By the Numbers - NASA

Flight 67 Preview – By the Numbers

mars.nasa.gov

 

[FighterJock]

Good news that comunications have been re-established with Ingenuity and is ready to resume flying.

 

[Flyaway]

The Ingenuity Mars helicopter securing its place in aviation history.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1735775504668729499

View: https://twitter.com/nasajpl/status/1735775504668729499

Making it official: With the donation of an Ingenuity prototype to the @Smithsonian's @airandspace museum, the #MarsHelicopter will forever be recognized as part of aviation history.

 

[Flyaway]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1737137260519432406

View: https://twitter.com/nasajpl/status/1737137260519432406

The #MarsHelicopter completed its 68th flight over the weekend, traveling about 2,310 ft (705 m) for 135 seconds. This is the longest distance Ingenuity has flown since Flight 25! https://mars.nasa.gov/technology/helicopter/index.cfm?fl=desc

 

[Flyaway]

Flight 69 completed successfully, flight 70 very shortly.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1737985062048788740

View: https://twitter.com/nasajpl/status/1737985062048788740

'Tis the season of flying for Ingenuity!

The #MarsHelicopter completed Flight 69, traveling its longest distance so far at ~2,313 ft (705 m) for 135 seconds. It will attempt Flight 70 no earlier than Dec. 22:

Flight 70 Preview – By the Numbers - NASA

Flight 70 Preview – By the Numbers

mars.nasa.gov

 

[Flyaway]

Update on the Perseverance rover.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1737968431637401952

View: https://twitter.com/haygenwarren/status/1737968431637401952

Over 1,000 sols into their mission, Perseverance and Ingenuity are continuing to investigate Jezero Crater and collecting samples during their travels.

The pair are now moving to the crater's margin, where they will begin their fourth science campaign

1,000 sols into their mission, Perseverance and Ingenuity continue to investigate Jezero Crater - NASASpaceFlight.com

After celebrating their 1,000th sol, or Martian day, on Mars, NASA’s Perseverance rover and Ingenuity…

www.nasaspaceflight.com

 

[FighterJock]

1,000 days on Mars for Perseverance and Ingenuity? Well done NASA, and here's to another thousand.

 

[Flyaway]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1743362511955710266

View: https://twitter.com/nasajpl/status/1743362511955710266

Ingenuity is ready for Flight 71.

The #MarsHelicopter will attempt to fly as early as tomorrow, Jan. 6, and is expected to travel 358 meters for 125 seconds. More stats are available in the flight log: go.nasa.gov/3TQj9XN

Flight 71 Preview – By the Numbers - NASA

Flight 71 Preview – By the Numbers

mars.nasa.gov

STATUS UPDATES | January 05, 2024
Flight 71 Preview – By the Numbers
Written by NASA/JPL

Flight 71
Expected flight date: 01/06/2024
Horizontal flight distance: 358.3 meters
Expected flight time: 124.92 seconds
Flight altitude: 12 meters
Heading: West
Max flight speed: 7 m/s
Goal of flight: Reposition Helicopter
Airfield: Same

 

[Deltafan]

NASA loses contact with Ingenuity Mars helicopter

The dropout occurred on Thursday (Jan. 18), during Ingenuity's 72nd Red Planet flight.

www.space.com

Let's hope it won't be permanent

 

[publiusr]

It had a good run.

 

[FighterJock]

It will be extremely sad if they cannot get back into contact with Ingenuity. Let's wait and see what happens.

 

[TomcatViP]

Probably was enjoying a mars snack somewhere out of sight:

NASA regains contact with mini-helicopter on Mars

NASA has re-established contact with its tiny helicopter on Mars, the US space agency said Saturday, after an unexpected outage prompted fears that the hard-working craft had finally met its end.

phys.org

 

[FighterJock]

That is better news TomcatVIP, I was expecting the worst but it seems that Inginuity has now got back in touch with NASA. A little hiccup on the part of Inginuity?

 

[Archibald]

That thing will never die. Hard boiled little drone chopper.

 

[FighterJock]

Too true Archibald, it will probably be still be going when the main Perseverance mission is over.

 

[TomS]

That thing will never die. Hard boiled little drone chopper.

Sadly, it has flown its last flight (which is way more than I expected)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1750604002331406713

View: https://twitter.com/NASAJPL/status/1750604002331406713

 

[Archibald]

Damn. But yes, 72 flights was one heck of a success.

 

[Flyaway]

Mission Ended - Lost one of its blades when it contacted the ground.

After Three Years on Mars, NASA’s Ingenuity Helicopter Mission Ends - NASA

NASA’s history-making Ingenuity Mars Helicopter has ended its mission at the Red Planet after surpassing expectations and making dozens more flights than

www.nasa.gov

View: https://youtu.be/hW5akI5Rnyg

In addition to video comments shared from Nelson about the mission’s conclusion, NASA will host a media teleconference at 5 p.m. EST today, Thursday, Jan. 25, to provide an update on Ingenuity Mars Helicopter.

Audio of the call will stream live on the agency’s website.

Participants in the call are expected to include:

Lori Glaze, director, Planetary Science Division, NASA’s Science Mission Directorate at the agency’s headquarters in Washington
Laurie Leshin, director, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California
Teddy Tzanetos, Ingenuity project manager, NASA JPL
Media who wish to participate by phone can request dial-in information by emailing hq-media@mail.nasa.gov.

View: https://youtu.be/qMbHE_VXI-8

View: https://youtu.be/raOA2MX-XLQ

 

[Flyaway]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1750604332196643061

View: https://twitter.com/sciguyspace/status/1750604332196643061

Ingenuity has broken one of its blades, and will fly no more. However, it had one hell of a run and NASA truly amazed us all.

My story:

The amazing helicopter on Mars, Ingenuity, will fly no more

Ingenuity has spent more than two hours flying above Mars since April 2021.

arstechnica.com

 

[TomS]

Photo showing the shadow of the damaged rotor. (Which may be the best we can get, if it isn't down within sight of the rover).

Ingenuity Spots the Shadow of Its Damaged Rotor Blade

www.jpl.nasa.gov

 

[FighterJock]

Sad to see Ingenuity not flying anymore due to a broken blade, but it has lasted a lot longer than first thought.

 

[publiusr]

Perhaps attempt one last flight to hit a cliff at high speed to knock off fresh chunks of rock for the rover to sniff, as it were...first off-world CFIT.

 

[TomcatViP]

It turns out NASA’s Mars helicopter was much more revolutionary than we knew

Ingenuity packed more computing power than all other NASA deep space missions combined.

arstechnica.com

 

[TomcatViP]

Pictures of the damages on rotor blade tips:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1751976365237117224

View: https://twitter.com/landru79/status/1751976365237117224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1751976365237117224%7Ctwgr%5Ef0bedc3879c9c32c488e88dbe4ad004ed3efb6c7%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsea.mashable.com%2Fspace%2F30902%2Fnasa-photos-reveal-serious-damage-to-its-mars-helicopter

 

[NMaude]

All of the rotor-blades appear to have been damaged, that being said Ingenuity greatly exceeded its' mission goals and design expectations.

 

[Flyaway]

Ingenuity as photographed by Perseverance.

Damaged Mars Helicopter: Caught on Camera!

www.leonarddavid.com

 

[Flyaway]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1757043620329267620

View: https://twitter.com/SciGuySpace/status/1757043620329267620

I have a long feature article on the Mars Ingenuity mission, and its prolonged battle to get a spot on the Perseverance rover. If you want the inside story, this is it:

Link to: https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/...-on-mars-scientists-almost-managed-to-kill-it