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A battery-powered NASA helicopter that hopes to become the first vehicle to perform a powered flight to another planet has survived its first test – a freezing night on Mars.
The four-pound Ingenuity helicopter was deployed to the surface by NASA’s Perseverance rover, having previously been strapped to the rover’s belly.
Nighttime temperatures at Jezero Crater can dip to minus 90 ° C.
This can freeze and crack unprotected electrical components and damage on-board batteries required for flight.
Ingenuity will be the first aircraft to attempt powered, controlled flight on another planet.
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MiMi Aung, Ingenuity project manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, said: “This is the first time that Ingenuity has been alone on the surface of Mars.
“But now we have confirmation that we have the right insulation, the right heaters and enough power in its battery to survive the cold night, which is a big win for the team. We are excited to continue preparing Ingenuity for its first flight test. ‘
The Perseverance rover was instructed to pull away from Ingenuity shortly after its deployment – so that the solar panel atop the helicopter’s rotors could begin to receive sunlight as soon as possible.
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Until the helicopter rested its four legs on the Martian surface, Ingenuity remained attached to the rover’s belly, receiving the power of Perseverance.
The rover serves as a communications relay between Ingenuity and Earth, and it will use its camera suite to observe the flight characteristics of Van Zyl Overlook’s solar-powered helicopter.
The helicopter does not carry any scientific instrument; its only mission, a technology demonstration, is to conduct flight tests in the thin atmosphere of Mars.
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Within 30 Martian days, or sols (a Martian day lasts 24.6 hours), at the surface, Ingenuity will complete its tests and the scientific exploration of Perseverance of Jezero Crater will be stepped up.
“Our 30-soil test schedule is filled with exciting milestones,” said Teddy Tzanetos, deputy director of operations for the Ingenuity Mars helicopter at JPL.
“Whatever the future holds, we will be acquiring all the flight data we can within that time frame.”
On April 4, Perseverance posted the first images of the helicopter on the surface of Mars online.
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Taken by the rover’s left rear hazard prevention camera, the image shows the helicopter’s rotor blades still stacked in alignment with each other (a configuration used to save space during the trip to Mars) and its four pads firmly planted in the surface of Mars. .
Over the next two days, Ingenuity will gather information on the performance of thermal control and power systems now that the small helicopter stands alone in the environment of Mars.
This information will be used to fine tune Ingenuity’s thermal control system to help it survive the harsh Mars nights for the duration of the flight experience.
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