Well, I’ve seen better photos of Mars, but this one is special because it was made by NASA’s helicopter of ingenuity. Encouraging, the boat he managed to survive its first cold night on Mars, bringing us one step closer to its inaugural flight.
Low resolution photo was taken on April 3, when ingenuity was still under the rover of Perseverance. And in fact, you can see two of the rover’s wheels in the upper corners of the image. This photo is an underestimated preview of what follows; with 4 kilograms (1.8-kilogram) The rotorcraft takes flight, will try to capture high-resolution color images of its surroundings at heights that reach 10 meters (3 meters).
In other good news, ingenuity succeeded until the first night on Mars as a stand-alone system, according to a NASA statement. The ingenuity was tied to the bottom of the rover until last weekend and lasted a 4-inch (10-centimeter) free fall to the surface. The helicopter was sudden falld to the surface on April 3 and now stands on all fours stretched out.
The fact that ingenuity managed to survive the first night on Mars is a major relief. Temperatures in Jezero Crater may drop to –130 degrees Fahrenheit (–90 degrees Celsius) at night. Sensitive electronic components and batteries can be severely damaged at these temperatures. He is no longer attached to Perseverance, the helicopter will have to refuel now heater from its own battery, which it will do by extracting energy from its solar panels.
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“No more free power,” Bob Balaram, chief engineer for the Mars Helicopter project at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, wrote in a article written for NASA.
One statement, MiMi Aung, Ingenuity project manager at NASA JPL, said “now we have confirmation that we have the right insulation, the right heaters and enough energy in [Ingenuity’s] battery to survive the cold night, which is a big win for the team. ”
Rotorcraft will now be monitored over the next few days to determine how well its thermal and power control systems are working. and whether adjustments will be required. Assuming everything is smallboo, the next major step will be the release of the retaining devices that currently connect the rotor blades, followed by testing of the blades and their associated motors. The team will also evaluate the vehicle’s autonomous navigation system, along with a device that will measure its orientation and angular rate during the flight.
Perseverance, which sends messages of ingenuity to mission controllers on Earth, will then move into Van Zyl Overlook“A sweet place from which the rover.” can watch and watch the 10 by 10 meter aerodrome on which Ingeniosity was deposited.
WWe are constantly approaching this historic flight, in which ingenuity – the fingers crossed firmly – will become the first air vehicle to take to the skies on an alien world. NASA says the first flight could take place from now on Sunday, April 11.
The helicopter has no scientific instruments other than its cameras. The ingenuity mission is strictly meant as a technological demonstration, as NASA is considering future missions involving more sophisticated aircraft. NASA has set aside 30 messengers or Martian days for these important tests.