NASA Ingenuity Helicopter Completes 56th Flight on Mars, Travels 1,344 Feet Across the Martian Surface

(Photo : PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images) A full scale model of the experimental Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, which will be carried under the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover, is displayed at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) on February 16, 2021 in Pasadena, California. - The Mars exploration rover will search for signs of ancient microbial life and collect rock samples for future return to Earth to study the red planet's geology and climate, paving the way for human exploration. Perseverance also carries the experimental Ingenuity Mars Helicopter - which will attempt the first powered, controlled flight on another planet.

Last August 26, the NASA Ingenuinty helicopter roamed for almost 2.5 minutes during the sortie in what is now its 56th flight.

56th Flight of NASA Ingenuinty Helicopter

The #MarsHelicopter completed Flight 56, traveling 1,334 ft (410 m) across the Martian surface at a maximum altitude of ~39 ft (12 m). The goal of this flight was to reposition the helicopter.

More flight stats: https://t.co/7DMHj9LkNX pic.twitter.com/cxGOr6eO6L
— NASA JPL (@NASAJPL) August 31, 2023

The Martian helicopter successfully finished its 56th flight, wherein it travelled 1,334 feet (or 410 meters) across the surface of the planet. It did so at the peak altitude of 39 feet or 12 meters. The flight's reported goal was the repositioning of the Ingenuity helicopter.

Its latest flight serves as a testimony to the helicopter's technological prowess and resilience. In fact, the Ingenuity helicopter has been continually seen to go beyond previous expectations, as it was initially designed for only five flights.

ALSO READ: Ingenuity Helicopter Captures Perseverance Rover on Mars During Its 51st Flight

NASA Ingenuity Helicopter

At first, the Ingenuity helicopter journeyed alongside the NASA Perseverage rover. This was in the helicopter and rover's journey towards the Jezero Crater of Mars. The landing successfully took place last February 2021. After this, the Ingenuity helicopter quickly and successfully finished its initial mission, which covered five flight demonstrations. Its first flight was on April 19, 2021.

The Ingenuity was originally designed and developed to remain afloat for up to 90 seconds and to travel nearly 980 feet, or 300 meters, at once at an altitude of roughly 10 to 15 feet. It also independently flies, with its take-off, flying, and landing taking place with minimal commands issued from the base on Earth.

Powering the device is solar panel charges that work with Lithium-ion batteries. This power source offers enough energy to conduct one 90-second flight every Martian day.

The helicopter was also built to stow away beneath the Perseverance on the journey to Mars. It was also made sure that the helicopter could survive the harsh conditions of the Martian environment even after it reached the Martian surface.

As such, the 4-pound helicopter was first designed and deployed to show the feasibility of conducting a powered flight across the thin atmosphere of Mars, given how the Martian atmosphere is only 0.6% as thick as the atmosphere of the Earth.

While its original mission was meant to last for just one month, the helicopter has been seen to go beyond expectations. In fact, it has exponentially multiplied its operational period as it has already been working for more than 864 days.

Clearly, the helicopter has been granted a mission extension by NASA. The chopper now serves as a scout for the Perseverance rover, which continues its pursuit to search for life and collect samples. The tandem is collaborating to examine the Jezero crater, which spans 45 kilometers and that had a huge river delta and lake several billions of years ago.

In its various journeys across the Martian surface, Ingenuity was able to hit remarkable records. In total, it has covered roughly 13 kilometers in the last 56 flights. As such, it also managed to stay afloat for over 100 minutes, with its highest altitude peaking at 18 meters.