3rd LD-Writethru: NASA's Ingenuity helicopter makes first flight on Mars

2021-04-19 18:36:09 GMT2021-04-20 02:36:09(Beijing Time) Xinhua English

WASHINGTON, April 19 (Xinhua) -- NASA launched its Mars helicopter Ingenuity from the surface of the Red Planet earlier Monday, marking the first powered, controlled flight of an aircraft on another planet.

The solar-powered helicopter first became airborne at 3:34 a.m. Eastern Day Time (EDT) (0734 GMT), a time the Ingenuity team determined would have optimal energy and flight conditions.

The Ingenuity team confirmed the flight succeeded after receiving data from the helicopter via NASA's Perseverance Mars rover at 6:46 a.m. EDT.

Altimeter data indicates that Ingenuity climbed to its prescribed maximum altitude of three meters and maintained a stable hover for 30 seconds, according to NASA.

It then descended, touching back down on the surface of Mars after logging a total of 39.1 seconds of flight.

NASA revealed a first black-and-white image taken by Ingenuity from the air while hovering over the Martian surface, using its navigation camera which autonomously tracks the ground during flight.

"The Mars Helicopter project has gone from 'blue sky' feasibility study to workable engineering concept to achieving the first flight on another world in a little over six years," said Michael Watkins, director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.

"That this project has achieved such a historic first is testimony to the innovation and doggedness of our team here at JPL, as well as at NASA's Langley and Ames Research Centers, and our industry partners. It's a shining example of the kind of technology push that thrives at JPL and fits well with NASA's exploration goals," he said.

Ingenuity arrived at Mars' Jezero Crater on Feb. 18, attached to the belly of NASA's Perseverance rover. The helicopter is a technology demonstration with a planned test flight duration of up to 30 Martian days. Enditem

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