NASA’s Ingenuity Mars helicopter was dropped on the surface of the Red Planet ahead of its historic maiden flight on April 11.
Ingenuity flew to Mars while attached to the belly of NASA’s Perseverance rover, which landed on the Red Planet on February 18.
“#MarsHelicopter touchdown confirmed! The 471 million kilometer journey on board @NASAPersevere ended today with the last 10 cm drop from the rover’s belly onto the surface of Mars,” said NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. California, tweeted late Saturday.
“Next milestone? Survive the night.”
The US space agency announced last week the decision to postpone the date of the first attempt at flight on Mars from April 8-11.
Controlled flying on Mars is far more difficult than flying on Earth.
The Red Planet has significant gravity (about a third that of Earth), but its atmosphere is only 1 percent as dense as Earth’s at the surface.
During Mars day, the planet’s surface receives only about half the solar energy that reaches Earth during the day, and nighttime temperatures can drop to minus 90 degrees Celsius, which can freeze and crack unprotected electrical components.
The Ingenuity helicopter must be small to fit in the available accommodations on the Perseverance rover.
To fly in the Martian environment, it has to be easy. In order to survive the cold Martian nights, it must have enough energy to supply internal heating with electricity.
The system, from the performance of its rotors in dilute air to solar panels, electric heaters, and other components, has been tested and retested in NASA’s JPL vacuum chambers and test labs in Southern California.
(With contributions from agencies)
