2024-04-17 13:30:33
The Ingenuity helicopter on Mars sends its final message
The small helicopter Ingenuity, which NASA sent to Mars, has sent its last message to Earth, and will from now on be stationary to collect data on the surface of the Red Planet, NASA announced on Tuesday.
In 2021, Ingenuity became the first motorized vehicle to carry out flights over a planet other than Earth, and proved that flight is possible in the Martian air, whose density does not exceed only 1% of the density of the Earth’s atmosphere. Knowing that the helicopter, which weighs only 1.8 kilograms, is similar to a large drone. The total distance it covered in its flights amounted to 17 kilometers, and it reached a height of 24 metres.
The helicopter landed on Mars in February 2021, after it was carried by the mobile robot Perseverance, which transmits data from it to Earth, and its mission is to search for indications of ancient life on Mars.
“A long farewell,” NASA wrote on the
Ingenuity’s steadfastness throughout this period surprised those concerned, especially since it used its solar panels, which charge its batteries during the day, to provide heating for itself in the cold and icy nights of Mars. The helicopter was originally supposed to be limited to five flights, but due to its very good performance, the mission was extended until January 2024.
(AFP)
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