Two robots are changing the way we explore Mars

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“Ingenuity allows the Perseverance science team to be in two places at once,” said Kevin Hand, co-head of the rover’s science campaign at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., In a statement.. “Right now we are at the ‘Crater Floor Fractured Rough’, where the rover is preparing for the mission’s first sample acquisition to Mars. Yet, at the same time, Ingenuity is providing detailed insight into potentially intriguing geology. hundreds of yards away from us. “

During Ingenuity’s tenth flight on July 24, Ingenuity flew over a feature that scientists call “Raised Rises.” These surface fractures are similar to features of the Earth found in deserts which indicate the presence of liquid water at some point in the past. This means that the Raised Ridges could tell scientists more about the mysterious history of Mars and how habitable it could have been for all potential life, if it existed.

This is an area of ​​interest for the Perseverance rover team – but it benefited them to take a closer look at Ingenuity’s perspective first.

Ingenuity was able to reach a new record altitude of 40 feet (12 meters) and changed direction four times as it covered a total of 764 feet while moving at 11 miles per hour. Ten images were taken by the helicopter’s cameras during the 165.4-second flight. The changes of direction during Ingenuity’s flight allowed him to capture many details of the Raised Ridges.

This image shows Ingenuity's tenth complex flight path since July 24.

“If you take a closer look you can see curious lines on the surface of several rocks,” Hand said. “Are they just created by eons of wind and dust blowing over rocks, or could these features tell the story of the water? We don’t know yet.”

Ingenuity helicopter spies intriguing features on Mars in record-breaking flight

When planning the rover to travel to a new location and collect a sample, any detour can take days. The science team will closely study Ingenuity’s images of the raised ridges to determine if Perseverance should visit the area next.

“Since the landing at Jezero Crater, it’s clear to all of us that there is an abundance of geological bounty to explore. It’s a good problem to have,” said Ken Williford, deputy scientist for the Perseverance project at JPL. , in a press release. “These aerial snapshots from Ingenuity provide the kind of actionable data that allows us to narrow our options and focus on exploring our corner of Mars.”

Since Ingenuity’s air travel began in April, the little helicopter has flown over a mile and far exceeded its team’s expectations.

Ingenuity's eleventh flight will bring it northwest of the rover.
The helicopter will take off again this week for its eleventh flight. These flights help Ingenuity act as a scout, flying past where the rover is exploring to spot future targets.

Together, persistence and ingenuity are helping scientists study the Red Planet in ways that have never been possible before – and could ultimately help us find out if life ever existed on another planet in our solar system. .

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