NASA’s Mars helicopter, named Ingenuity, successfully launched for the first time in space last week.
Ingenuity is the first helicopter designed to fly on another planet. It is currently traveling to the Red Planet on board NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover, which one launched on July 30th.
On August 7, the helicopter’s six lithium-ion batteries were charged and charged for the first time in space. The 4-lb. (1.8 kilograms) Ingenuity, which is currently being stowed under the belly of Perseverance, gets its charge from the rover’s power supply, according to a statement from NASA on Thursday (August 13).
Related: In pictures: NASA’s Mars 2020 rover mission to the Red Planet
“This was a major milestone as it was our first opportunity to engage Ingenuity and give their electronics a ‘test drive’ since we launched on July 30,” said Tim Canham, Mars Helicopter Operations Commander at Jet. Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) of NASA) in Southern California, said in the statement. “Since everything went through the book, we will be doing the same activity about every two weeks to maintain an acceptable condition.”
Charging the batteries took eight hours, during which NASA tested and analyzed their performance. The batteries were charged only 35% of their maximum level, in order to maintain optimal battery health, according to the statement.
Perseverance is planned to land on Mars on February 18, 2021. At some point, Ingenuity will detach from the rover, descend to the surface of the Red Planet and take a few groundbreaking test flights. (After deployment to Mars, the helicopter batteries will be charged by a separate solar panel.)
As de experimental test flights going according to plan, Ingenuity will prove that robotic flight is possible on Mars, opening the door for extensive air reconnaissance on future missions.
“This charge activity shows that we have survived the launch and that we can handle the harsh environment of interplanetary space so far,” MiMi Aung said. the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter project manager at JPL, said in the statement. “We have to go many more firsts before we can attempt the first experimental flight test on another planet, but at the moment we all feel very good about the future.”
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