NASA has revealed new details about the flight Ingenuity Mars helicopter
The aircraft will be used for the first controlled flight to another planet. This flight will mark one of NASA's most important tests.
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According to the space agency, the place where the helicopter will lift off and land has been found. The test flight is scheduled for early April (“no earlier than April 8”).
Ingenuity will not conduct any scientific work during its journey. It is simply a test to ensure that it will be able to provide information for future missions and help anticipate the needs of scientists and engineers in the future.
The agency said it had “cleared” the Martian surfaceto create a “landing/liftoff runway,” using satellite imagery and photos taken by Perseverance. Engineers had to choose a safe place for both the flight and landing.
See also: NASA's Perseverance sends new image from Mars landing
NASA said there are several issues that need to be sorted out before the Ingenuity Mars helicopter can begin its journey. Before descending to the Martian surface, Ingenuity will need to be guided to the runway by Perseverance, where it will stay for a while to ensure it is able to support itself using its solar panels.
Only when that is complete will the first short flights take place, Nasa said. Completing the very short first flight will mean the mission is a success.
Then, once everything is confirmed to be in order, longer trips will follow. In total, these tests are expected to last a month.
Dr Balaram said the most dangerous part of the flight is the Martian atmosphere, including winds and other factors that could destroy the Ingenuity mission. He also said there are other risks, such as placing Ingenuity on the ground (by Perseverance). After Perseverance is removed, experts will see if Ingenuity can “handle” itself.
See also: Mars: Clouds similar to Earth's pass over its surface
During all of these flights, Ingenuity will follow instructions sent in advance. It will also rely on technology that ensures it can respond to the environment, including winds, etc.
The great distance between Mars and Earth means there is an excessive delay in live tracking of the Ingenuity Mars helicopter. Messages received by experts on Earth can take 5-20 minutes to arrive, meaning it will take engineers some time to figure out whether the journey was actually successful.
Perseverance will also try to capture images and video of the journey , although Nasa engineers said it will be difficult to ensure that one sees the other at the right time .
The space agency said the Ingenuity mission – separate from Perseverance – cost about $80 million.
Source: The Independent
