NASA's Mars Helicopter joins the Perseverance rover in mission to Mars

17 Apr 2020

Image depicting Ingenuity the Mars helicopter

NASA’s Mars Helicopter joins the Perseverance rover in mission to Mars

NASA’s Mars Helicopter joins the Perseverance rover in mission to MarsWe have read about the Perseverance rover that is going to Mars in July 2020.

Scientists have loaded the Mars Helicopter on to it too. It will be the first aircraft in history to attempt a power-controlled flight on another planet.

The Mars Helicopter is not carrying any instruments. Its purpose is to confirm that flight is possible on Mars, whose atmosphere is very different from Earth.

What are the details of the Mars Helicopter?

It weighs about 1.8 kg with propellers four feet (1.2 m) in diameter.
 	The drone helicopter rests in the rover's belly.
 	It has been tested in NASA's labs to ensure that it can take off in Mars too.
 	It is connected to the Perseverance rover and can exchange data with it.

After it lands on Mars, the helicopter will remain on the rover for two and a half months, doing test flights, before it goes off on its own to explore.

See a video below of the Mars Helicopter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOMQOqKRWjU

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We have read about the Perseverance rover that is going to Mars in July 2020. Scientists have loaded the Mars Helicopter on to it too. […]

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