Educationpatra. Kathmandu. NASA’s pioneering Ingenuity helicopter on Mars has successfully regained communication after a hiatus of approximately two months. On June 28, NASA announced that contact had been reestablished between the Ingenuity helicopter and its robotic partner, the Perseverance Rover.
his groundbreaking aircraft has made history as the first-ever vehicle to achieve powered flight on a celestial body other than Earth.
The connection with the Ingenuity Perseverance Rover had been lost since April 26. In July 2020, NASA dispatched the helicopter alongside the Perseverance rover to explore the ancient history of Mars. The successful landing of both the helicopter and rover took place in the Jezero Crater on February 18, 2021.
Ingenuity, which relies on solar energy for recharging, maintains communication with the rover and flight operators at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) while sending valuable data back to Earth.
During its 52nd flight, Ingenuity experienced a loss of contact with the Perseverance rover. The flight covered a distance of 363 meters and lasted for 139 seconds. In this mission, the rover had to reposition the helicopter and capture images of the Martian surface.
According to NASA officials, the 1.8-kilogram Ingenuity helicopter lost contact when it encountered a mountain obstructing radio communication with the Perseverance rover. The helicopter’s information is relayed to Earth through the rover, and efforts were made to regain communication by adjusting the rover’s radio frequency range. Contact was successfully established on June 28 as the Perseverance rover approached the mountain, as stated in a NASA press release.
Based on recently analyzed flight data, NASA confirms that Ingenuity is in a healthy condition. The officials anticipate flying the helicopter again in the coming weeks.
Ingenuity, equipped with two cameras, autonomously flies and lands on Mars using advanced mathematical algorithms. It relies on solar energy and is designed to withstand the unique temperature and environmental conditions of Mars.
The helicopter operates at a distance of up to 1 kilometer from the Perseverance rover. Its presence and aerial observations contribute to identifying potential areas of interest for the rover.
Despite the 63-day communication hiatus, NASA assures that the helicopter is in normal working condition. NASA is now preparing for its next flight, making Ingenuity the only operational aircraft beyond Earth’s atmosphere. The 53rd flight of Ingenuity will take it westward from its current location. Developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, this remarkable achievement marks the first successful flight of a human-made vehicle controlled remotely from Earth to another planet.
Ingenuity initially achieved its first Mars flight in just 30 seconds. Although the mission was originally planned for 30 days, Ingenuity has already surpassed expectations by flying beyond that time frame.
NASA has invested approximately 85 million dollars (equivalent to around 11 billion Nepalese rupees) in developing this remarkable helicopter. Notably, the fan of Ingenuity, featuring four carbon fiber blades, rotates at a significantly higher speed compared to conventional helicopters. Help of Agency.
