NASA’s Mars helicopter faces ‘substantial risk’ with ambitious 12th flight

NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter didn’t just prove it could fly on Mars. He’s now a valuable contributor to the Perseverance rover’s mission to explore the red planet and look for signs of ancient microbial life.

For its 12th flight, the rotorcraft will provide the rover team with a valuable aerial view of the geology that Perseverance may want to verify.

The helicopter surveys an area called South Seitah, an area that is home to boulders and rock outcrops that are of interest to the Perseverance rover team. “This flight will be ambitious. Flying over Seitah South involves substantial risk due to the diversity of the terrain,” Ingenuity team leader Teddy Tzanetos wrote in a status update 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.

Ingenuity’s flight was scheduled for Monday morning, but it may take a while to get confirmation of the flight back from Mars.

If all goes well, Perseverance will meet with Ingenuity in the next few days. The helicopter’s reconnaissance work should help the rover team decide where to check out when they get there.

Ingenuity as a mission has been about risk and reward. It was not known if the helicopter would even operate on Mars. It not only works, but it also shows how an aerial vehicle can act as a valuable scout for a ground rover.

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

Follow CNET’s 2021 space calendar to stay up to date with all the latest space news this year. You can even add it to your own Google Calendar.