Nasa is planning to fly a small autonomous helicopter on Mars which is expected to demonstrate a test of powered flights on Mars for the first time.
According to Nasa, this helicopter called Ingenuity will hitch a ride to the Red Planet with Nasa’s Perseverance Rover set to launch on 30 July this year from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
Perseverance Rover is expected to reach Mars on 18 February next year. The Rover is designed to collect dirt from Mars to help research on finding signs of life on the planet.
Ingenuity looks like a four-legged spider, a small cube fixed on four spindly legs. The box is fitted with cameras and communication equipment. There are two pairs of rotor blades adjusted with a solar plate on top.
It weighs just 1.8 kilogram and may fly up to 90 second, about 10-15 feats above the ground for a distance of about 300 meters. According to Nasa this 90 second flight might need 350 Watts of average power.
This helicopter is powered by solar panel that charges its lithium-ion battery.
Compared to the atmosphere of Earth, the atmosphere of Mars if very this (about 1 per cent of Earth’s density). Ingenuity has been designed to powerful enough to lift off in Mars atmosphere.
NASA’s Manager for the Revolutionary Vertical Lift Technology Project Susan Gortan earlier said, “The helicopter will be the planets version of the Wright Brother’s achievement, and will open a new era.”
The plan at Mars is to attempt up to five flights, each one lasting up to 90 seconds.
According to Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate at Nasa Jim Banke, if the Helicopter works as planned, the future missions to Mars could carry more such Helicopters to help scientific research.
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