NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter is the first aircraft sent from Earth to successfully fly above the planet Mars.
The helicopter launched to Mars on July 30, 2020, at 7:50 a.m. EDT atop a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V 541 rocket from Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
During launch, the helicopter was attached to the belly of NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover, and they landed together at the Jezero Crater of Mars on February 18, 2021, at 3:55 p.m. EST.
The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter is still working. Till December 20, 2023, Ingenuity Mars Helicopter has flown 69 flights since its first flight above the Mars planet on April 19, 2021.
Facts about the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter
| Facts | Details |
|---|---|
| Weight | About 1.8 kilograms (4.0 pounds) on Earth, and about 0.68 kilograms (1.5 pounds) on Mars |
| Height | 0.49 meters or 19 inches (1.6 feet) |
| Rotor system | Two 1.2-meter-long rotor blades that rotate counterclockwise with a spin of roughly 2,400 rpm |
| Body dimension | 5.4 inches by 7.7 inches by 6.4 inches (13.6 centimeters by 19.5 centimeters by 16.3 centimeters); four landing legs, each 1.26 feet (0.384 meters) long |
| Power | Solar array on top of the rotor system |
Live location of the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter
The above interactive map shows the live location of NASA’s Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter at the Jezero Crater of Mars. (Map courtesy: NASA)
How can Ingenuity Mars helicopter fly on Mars?
The weight of the Ingenuity Mars helicopter (only 1.8 kilograms) is kept very low so that it can fly in the very thin atmosphere of the planet Mars with the help of its two 1.2 meter long rotor blades. Atmospheric pressure of Mars is only 1% compared to our Earth.
To keep the rotor system light, the blades are made of carbon fiber which can rotate 2400 times per minute.
Celebration of 50 flights
The Ingenuity Mars helicopter has completed 50 flights as of April 13, 2023.
Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get latest space news, upcoming skywatching events and astronomy-related content.
