NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Has Now Flown Over One Mile, Capturing Images to Help Perseverance Rover

NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter completed its tenth flight on the Red Planet last Saturday, July 24. This brings its total flight of over one mile (approximately 1.6 kilometers) and by far its highest flight yet, too, with a record height of 40 ft (12m).

NASA's scientists from Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, announced the update of the Mars helicopter via an Instagram post on late Saturday. JPL serves as the mission control for Perseverance rover and Ingenuity.

Ingenuity's 10th Flight

Ingenuity Mars helicopter soared over a rocky region called Raised Ridges at Jezero Crater, marking its tenth successful flight. Raised Ridges is part of a fracture system that the Perseverance rover scientists are planning to visit in the future, according to Gizmodo.

Fracture systems work as pathways for the liquid to get underwater. Scientists think that water might have flowed through Raised Ridges, making it an ideal spot to look for evidence of life which is the primary goal of the Perseverance rover.

Ingenuity operations lead Teddy Tzanetos described the flight path of the Mars helicopter, saying that flight 10 would be the most challenging yet of Ingenuity's endeavor in terms of navigation and performance.

Ingenuity's tenth flight has achieved a new record of 40 feet (12 meters) above the ground, which is an increase from the ninth flight's 33 feet (10 meters). Tzanetos said that the flight is estimated to have lasted for 165 seconds.

The status update on the Mars helicopter is a reminder that it has gone beyond its goals, surviving 76 more sols (Martian days) than its original mission, and is now on its 107th sol.

More so, Ingenuity has managed to perform two flight software updates to improve its flight and color image capture abilities. As of its recent flight, the Mars helicopter has flown for 14 minutes on Mars and 112% on its performance demos.

ALSO READ: NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter: First Time to Usher Perseverance in Hunting for Ancient Signs of Life at the Jezero Crater

How Many More Miles Can ingenuity Fly?

Ingenuity's flight 10 is its most ambitious flight to date to help Perseverance rover in its mission by taking stereoscopic images of Raised Ridges. The data from this flight will help inform the team behind the Perseverance rover about the area for a potential visit in the future.

After flying over a mile, Engadget reported that it is still uncertain how many more miles the Mars helicopter could fly. It has surpassed its original goal of only four flights on Mars. Its one-mile threshold is considered a significant achievement, which suggests that the helicopter could accomplish more during the planned two-year mission of the Perseverance rover.

Overall, NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter has broadened the horizons of what could be on Mars and has given scientists some new insights and knowledge about the Red Planet.

"Aerial scouting aids the Perseverance Mars rover team in deciding what moves to make next," JPL officials wrote in the status update of the Ingenuity Mars helicopter.