NASA helicopter on Mars completes 12th flight and searches for Perseverance rover

NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter made a dozen of them. Not content to prove he could fly on Mars, the helicopter is now making a valuable contributor to the Red Planet, helping the Perseverance rover in its mission to find signs of ancient microbial life. Rising 32 feet above the surface of Mars on Sunday night, the helicopter completed flight 12 in 169 seconds. Pleasant!

The helicopter flew over an area called “South Seitah”, an area that is home to boulders and rock outcrops of interest to the Perseverance rover team. NASA’s JPL called the area a “geological wonder”.

“Flying over Seitah South carries a substantial risk due to the varied terrain,” wrote Ingenuity team leader Teddy Tzanetos in a status update ahead of the flight on Sunday. The helicopter’s navigation system was designed to operate on relatively flat terrain, so more rugged landscapes can be difficult to make sense of. The rotorcraft has encounter technical difficulties, but has survived them until now.

“When we choose to accept the risks associated with such theft, it is because of the corresponding high rewards,” Tzanetos said on Sunday. “Knowing that we have the opportunity to help the Perseverance team in scientific planning by providing unique aerial images is all the motivation needed. ”

The risks of flight 12 were easily brought under control by Ingenuity, which has delivered record flights since first took off on April 20.

Ingenuity’s mission has been focused on risks and rewards. It was not known if the helicopter would even operate on Mars.

This not only works, but also now shows how an aerial vehicle can act as a valuable scout for a ground rover. Flight 12, in particular, should prove to be extremely valuable to the Perseverance team. Spotting ahead of time and examining potentially dangerous or interesting terrain makes the rover’s journey much more efficient and safe. Just think of all the extra science that can be done when you don’t waste time trying to figure out which direction you need to roll your rover!

Perseverance is expected to meet with Ingenuity in the next few days, and NASA scientists will examine the images to determine which rocks they should examine next. Other flights for Ingenuity have yet to be detailed by NASA but his next sojourn, number 13, will likely concern the superstitious.

But judging from his first dozen flights, he doesn’t seem to be too worried.