After its "crash" on Mars, the Ingenuity helicopter begins a new mission

The NASA Ingenuity helicopter has sent its final message to Earth, marking the end of its mission on Mars but still promising to deliver valuable data for the future. This tiny helicopter, about the size of a pigeon, arrived on the Red Planet on February 18, 2021, along with the Perseverance rover. Initially planned for five flights, Ingenuity completed an impressive 72, far exceeding all expectations.


On January 18, during what turned out to be its last flight, the helicopter was damaged during a harsh landing. Ingenuity will continue to collect data from its final landing site, the Fields of Valinor, a name inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's work.

Now immobile, the device will activate its equipment daily to measure the temperature and take a photo of its surroundings. This process can continue for 20 years, until its battery or memory capacity is depleted.

The data accumulated by Ingenuity will enhance the design of future Martian vehicles and provide valuable insights into the weather conditions and dust movements on Mars. However, to access this information, future Martian vehicles or astronauts will need to visit the site.


Thus, this tiny helicopter not only exceeded its initial objectives but also promises to continue contributing to our understanding of Mars for years, or even decades to come.