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Judi Lynn

(160,211 posts)
Mon Apr 26, 2021, 11:52 PM Apr 2021

NASA's Mars helicopter took a photo, and it's a beauty



Image captured by NASA's Mars helicopter. Image source: NASA/JPL-Caltechn
By Mike Wehner @MikeWehner
April 26th, 2021 at 11:30 PM

NASA’s Mars helicopter has now logged multiple flights on the Red Planet, claiming a number of “firsts” along the way. The aircraft is officially the first manmade vehicle to perform a powered flight on another planet. It’s a huge accomplishment for NASA and, to a larger extent, humanity, but we hadn’t yet seen Mars from the perspective of the helicopter itself. Now, in a new post on NASA’s website, the space agency shares what the Ingenuity helicopter sees as it looks down on Mars from above, and it’s pretty awesome.

The image was captured by Ingenuity during its second successful test flight. That flight, which saw the aircraft reach a higher altitude than during its first attempt, was the first in which the helicopter actually traveled to a new location. The flight distance was a mere seven feet, but that’s still a big step when testing the first-ever powered aircraft on Mars.

NASA offers a brief description of what we’re seeing:

The winding parallel discolorations in the surface reveal the tread of the six-wheeled rover. Perseverance itself is located top center, just out frame. “Wright Brothers Field” is in the vicinity of the helicopter’s shadow, bottom center, with the actual point of takeoff of the helicopter just below the image. A portion of the landing pads on two of the helicopter’s four landing legs can be seen in on the left and right sides of the image, and a small portion of the horizon can be seen at the upper right and left corners.

The Ingenuity helicopter is not equipped with any scientific instruments and has no scientific objectives. Its only mission is to be a proof of concept for future aerial vehicles on Mars, which means its handlers back on Earth will put it through a series of tests to see how well it handles itself during its month-long trial.

More:
https://bgr.com/science/mars-helicopter-photo-nasa-ingenuity-5921873/
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NASA's Mars helicopter took a photo, and it's a beauty (Original Post) Judi Lynn Apr 2021 OP
Look at all the footprints! tblue37 Apr 2021 #1
Bigfoot? Sneederbunk Apr 2021 #2
Nah. They were made by someone wearing dress shoes. Bigfoot wears trainers. tblue37 Apr 2021 #3
Its Jesus carrying the helicopter don'cha'no?!?!? (n/t) Moostache Apr 2021 #4
Does Jesus wear dress shoes? I thought he preferred sandals. tblue37 Apr 2021 #5
Jesus ate locusts speak easy Apr 2021 #6
Image from Ingenuity's telephoto lens: Marcuse Apr 2021 #7
Excellent!!! COL Mustard Apr 2021 #8
Just wait tiptonic Apr 2021 #9

tblue37

(64,979 posts)
3. Nah. They were made by someone wearing dress shoes. Bigfoot wears trainers.
Tue Apr 27, 2021, 12:11 AM
Apr 2021

Last edited Tue Apr 27, 2021, 03:09 AM - Edit history (1)

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