On April 19, 2021, the Ingenuity helicopter earned the title of the first powered flight on another planet. Nearly two years later, the helicopter has completed its 50th flight on Mars. Was this longevity expected?
This most recent flight (Flight 50) was mainly a relocation of the rotorcraft which positioned it on the opposite side of a ridgeline from Perseverance. As a result, there was a delay in getting confirmation of a successful flight. Each flight, whether for scientific imaging or not, is aimed at keeping Ingenuity ahead of the rover as it conducts science of its own.
Additionally, this area of Mars, the area outside of Perseverance’s landing location, Jezero Crater, Ingenuity has been navigating rockier terrain.
When Ingenuity was announced as a companion spacecraft to the Perseverance rover, skeptics had every right to question whether or not it would actually work. Step one was landing Perseverance successfully on Mars, which occurred on February 18, 2021. Two months later, NASA would attempt the first flight of Ingenuity.
A “Wright Brother’s Moment” flew across the headlines as Ingenuity flew on Mars. For the first time ever, a machine used the air on another planet to create lift and rise off the ground. The Wright Brother’s plane led to regular commercial air travel affordable for many.
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Ingenuity’s Success
Ingenuity was originally planned complete five flights as part of its technology demonstration. Its most recent flight officially marks ten times the number of expected flights. It is fairly common for NASA to push rovers, landers, and other spacecraft beyond their expected life timeline in order to get more data.
As of 50 flights, Ingenuity has completed one hour, 29 minutes, and 12 seconds of time in the air. During this time, the rotorcraft has covered 11.5 km (7.2 mi) in ground distance and flown to a maximum altitude of 18.0 m (59.1 ft).
During flight 49 earlier this month, Ingenuity completed its longest flight ever and broke a new speed record. It reached a top speed of 6.5 m/s (14.5 mph). The goal of this flight was to relocate the rotorcraft and image science targets. Flight 50 included a new altitude record of 18.0 m (59.1 ft).
Ingenuity’s Future
The exact future of Ingenuity will always be uncertain. With every flight comes the risk of failure, however, Ingenuity has had a good track record so far.
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